THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 103 



nicely, and keeps out a moderately keen frost, if at the same time 

 you have a bit of old carpet or such like material to put on the roof 

 outside. This is a very simple way of heating by hot water ; and, in 

 fact, you would benefit your plants a good deal by doing this on any 

 very cold night during the fall of the season and the early spring. 

 If you wrap the greybeard in two or three folds of flannel or any 

 old woollen stuff the heat will be economized and last some time 

 longer. 



I had intended to say a few words this month about insects and 

 their prevention and cure, but must defer them until next. 



{To bo continued.) 



CULTURE OP THE CALCEOLARIA. 



HE culture of the Calceolaria is a very simpte matter, and 

 those who wish to begin at the beginning, and obtain 

 early blooms should commence by procuring seed, and 

 sowing it in the last week in August in a mixture com- 

 posed of equal proportions of light sandy loam, well 

 decomposed leaf-mould, and silver sand ; mis it well together, and 

 have ready some six-inch pots, well drained with potsherds, say about 

 three inches deep. Upon the top of the crocks place a little layer of 

 moss, which will prevent the mould running through amongst the 

 potsherds. Now take a sieve with a mesh a quarter of an inch 

 wide, sift your mould through this, and put all the coarse that is 

 retained in the sieve into your seed-pots upon the layers of moss, 

 and fill up your pots to within one inch of the top, upon this place 

 the fine mould that has ruu through your sieve, tilling the pots to 

 within a quarter of an inch of the tops ; this is to allow sufficient 

 room for watering, as frequently, by filling the pot too full, the first 

 application of water washes all the seed over the side of the pot, 

 which is consequently lost. When the pot is thus filled, press the 

 soil to an even surface; this done, sow your seed regularly all over 

 the pot. The next thing to be done is to cover the seeds, which is the 

 most essential thing to be attended to. For this purpose you should, 

 have a very fine hair sieve, and put into it a very small portion of 

 your sifted mould, which lightly shake over the seed uutU you have 

 barely covered it. It is better for the seed to lay upon the top of 

 the mould than be covered too deep, for that is the cause of so many 

 seeds tailing to vegetate ; when the seed is finished sowing, the pots 

 should be removed to a dry airy shelf, and be constantly supplied 

 with water, never by any chance allowing the top of the mould to 

 become dry ; for this purpose a very fine rose water-pot should be 

 used, and the water made a little tepid, either by settiug some in a 

 aunny situation in the bouse, or by adding a little quantity of warm 

 water to the cold. By attending carefully to the watering, tho seed 

 will soon begin to germinate, and in seven or eight weeks tho plants 

 will be in a proper slate to prick out. Eor this purpose use the 



April 



