170 T HE ELOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 



little space, I will, for the guidance of others, give a hint or two, 

 which are easily carried out, and will repay those who adopt a plan 

 I tried some time since as an experiment. 



The roots of musk, like those of mint, run under the surface 

 of the soil, which, by continued watering, loses the nourishment so 

 essential to the plant. 



Cuttings, well grown, make much better plants than those 

 obtained by division of the roots. 



My method is to take a vigorous young cutting, well rooted, 

 plant it in about four inches of a rich compost at the bottom of 

 a half-peck flower-pot, placed in the warmest part of the greenhouse, 

 where it will grow rapidly, pinch out the leader, and as it grows 

 I frequently add more soil, until the pot is filled to withiu an inch 

 of the top ; by this time the pot is well filled with roots which have 

 struck out from all parts of the plant thus buried, hence it grows 

 more vigorously than when it has only a few roots running under 

 the surface. I place a number of neatly-cut sticks about two inches 

 apart all round the edge of the pot, draw and tie them together at 

 the top, thus forming a cone about eighteen inches high above the 

 rim. I then take some fine matting, pass it round each stick, com- 

 mencing at the bottom, and as the plant grows, continue to place 

 these bands round to keep the foliage inside. As the flowers make 

 their appearance, I take them off until the trellis is nearly filled, 

 which will not be long, for the plant may be almost seen to grow. 

 I then let it bloom at will. A frequent turn of the pot will prevent 

 drawing to one side. 



I now let the shoots which come through the trellis fall down 

 round the pot, which will soon be almost invisible ; the whole then 

 presents a most beautiful pillar of about two feet in height, covered 

 with flowers of a larger size than commonly seen on musk, and not a 

 stick of its support to be seen ; by this time it requires a little 

 assistance with clear manure water, not too strong. I should also 

 say that frequent syringings with chilled water is of great and 

 almost essential service. 



I once sent six of them to a flower-show, and they were the 

 admiration of every one there; many inquired if it was not a 

 different variety from the common musk. This may not be a new 

 plan, but I have not seen musk grown thus by any one, and would 

 advise lovers of this favourite of mine, where practicable, to try the 

 effect. R. J. 



Spotted Kobe Leaves. — Captain Bonner. — The microscope reveals a dense 

 growth of fungus on your rose leaves, and the rapid spread of it proves that 

 circumstances are favourable to fungi, probably a damp atmosphere when it first 

 began and woody rubbish in the compost not quite rotted. Eoses are particularly 

 liable to attacks of fungi, both on the leaves and at the root, and one fruitful 

 cause is the presence in the soil of chips of wood, dead stick, and other ligneous 

 matter not thoroughly decomposed. Among these bits of half-rotted wood 

 fungous threads are developed, which appear like gossamer films, and as soon as 

 these threads extend to the roots of the tree they sooner or later kill it. We can 

 only suppose that you potted your plants in compoBt containing fragments of 

 wood of some kind or other, swept up with the leaves or mixed with the manure. 



