336 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



devote his chief attention to the cultivation of tliose subjects bloom- 

 ing during the seasons last mentioned. For many years past I have 

 filled my conservatory during the summer vrith ferns, palms, and a 

 few of the bold-growing, ornamental-leaved plants ; for we have 

 such an abundance of flowers of all kinds, more especially of roses, 

 in the garden, that they are not so much wanted in-doors. I am, 

 therefore, well able to bestow more care and attention upon those 

 things which may be had in bloom during the winter, and my dis- 

 play of flowers is much admired by my friends. T have also a little 

 plant-stove, thirty feet in length, and ten feet in width ; and as this 

 also contains a fair proportion of plants blooming in winter, vre have, 

 during the Christmas and New Tear's festivities, a profusion of 

 flowers for in-door decorations. 



In this communication I am simply desirous of making better 

 known those subjects which contribute so much to the attractiveness 

 of the conservatory and plant-stove from the present moment until 

 the month of March next. I shall say very little about their culti- 

 vation, for I am not at all anxious to bore the reader witb a long 

 string of cultural details ; but as I am anxious to do all I can in 

 assisting those who may be wishful to grow any of the subjects that 

 will be mentioned, I shall be happy to advise them on their making 

 their wishes known through the Editor. 



The winter-flowering greenhouse plants are not so brightly 

 coloured as those occupying the stove ; yet, as a much larger num- 

 ber of readers can cultivate them, they must here have the first place. 

 Acacia ajpnis is one of the finest of the winter-flowering species of 

 this great family ; but it requires so mucb space, that it is only 

 suited for a lofty structure, and I have discarded it. A. armata is 

 more generally useful, and very distinct. It is very compact, has 

 dark green leaves, and bears a profusion of its golden ball-like 

 flowers. I prune my specimens annually, as they go out of bloom ; 

 and when they commence to break, shift them into a larger pot, 

 using a mixture of peat, loam, and sand. Neat specimens from one 

 to three feet high are the most attractive. The winter-flowering 

 Carnations are highly valued, as the flowers come in so useful for 

 bouquets. The cuttings are struck in the spring, and the plants 

 shifted on until they are put in six-inch pots. My favourites of 

 these are Boule de Feu, scarlet ; Daybreak, rosy scarlet ; Irma, rose ; 

 La Belle, white ; Liverani, scarlet and crimson flake ; Marguerite 

 Hmmet, white ; Miss Jolliffe, blush pink ; Souvenir de la Malmaison, 

 blush, large, and scented like a clove, and Vulcan, scarlet. From my 

 knowledge of these flowers, it would appear to be difiicult to go 

 wrong in selecting varieties, as they are all so good ; but the above 

 are exceedingly beautiful, and represent the most useful colours. 

 Coronilla glauca is most useful for autumn flowering, as its bright 

 yellow flowers are freely produced, and pleasantly fragrant. If it is 

 pruned moderately every spring, and repotted every second year, it 

 will bloom abundantly. It should be placed out of doors during the 

 summer, and be well supplied with water. Celosia pyramidalis I 

 find very useful, as the plumy inflorescence is so attractive when 

 intermixed with cut flowers. The seed is sown in May, the seed- 



