MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. 23 



Mr. Thompson had been accustomed to give the Cactus epiphyllum rather 

 richer compost than recommended ; namely, equal portions of well-decomposed 

 cow-dung, loam, aud lime-rubbish. He had had the Epiphyllum truncatum, of 

 three years' growth, with 130 flowers, andhadseen the speciosissimum with 150. 

 He approved of syringing this tribe rather than watering. 



Mr. Judd considered that cow-dung was an excellent ingredient for growing 

 such plants, but considered pigeons' dung preferable for flowering them. He 

 approved of using brick-rubbish, but contended it should be old. The M une- 

 laria, &c, he considered should stand on slate, or rather stone, and be cpiite near 

 the glass. 



Air. Caie went into the theory of plants growing at improper distance from 

 the glass, so far as their healthy growth and flowering were concerned, and 

 mentioned that he had now many plants assuming a tree-like appearance, which 

 would assume their recumbent position when once exposed to the full influence 

 of the sun and air. He also mentioned that he had seen the Cactus truncatus, 

 under the management of Mr. Henderson, of Woodhall, grafted on C. triangu- 

 laris, measuring nine feet in circumference. 



Mr. Fish went at considerable length into the scientific principle involved by 

 the failure of growing plants at a distance from the glass ; that the tree-like 

 appearance of the plants mentioned by Mr. Caie was produced by the same 

 means as made the stem of a potato climb and protrude itself through a small 

 opening in the wall of a dark room. 



A gentleman from Kew, not a member of the society, made a series of inter- 

 esting remarks on the subject. He considered that the Epiphyllum tribe suc- 

 ceeded best when put in the bark-stove in the growing season, and syringed. 



Air. Judd remarked that it was of importance that, when they were coming 

 into flower, they should not be kept dry, as it would cause the flowers to drop ; 

 nor yet too moist, as it would spoil the colour. 



Mr. Grey gave an account of the method adopted by a very successful grower, 

 with whom he at one time lived. In summer he gave plenty of heat and water, 

 and, from October till March, gave little of either. He entered into the theory of 

 the manner in which light acted upon plants, and supposed that heat was pro- 

 duced by the friction of the rays. This led to remarks from Mr. Caie and 

 Air. Fish, respecting metallic-roofed houses, showing that plants ought to bo 

 placed farther from them than from wooden houses. 



Mr. Keane summed up all the discussion, expressed his satisfaction with the 

 evening's proceedings, adverted to the importance of syringing the Epiphyllum 

 tribe when growing, as the Epidermis absorbed much moisture, and parted with 

 it very scantily. 



On Bii.lbergia Zkbrina. — A specimen of [the Billbergia Zebriua is now in 

 bloom in the stove in the garden of Sir W. E. Welby, Bart., Denton, Lincoln- 

 shire, grown and flowered by " ATr. John Dolby,'' gardener there. The plant 

 was raised from seed in the spring of 1838, and has now attained the height of 

 two and a half feet. The pedicel, previous to opening, is enveloped in ten scarlet 

 bracts, and after it expanded it extended itself to the length of one foot three 

 inches, upon which are thirty-four beautiful spiked flowers, each measuring three 

 and a half inches in length. The whole has a very beautiful and curious ap- 

 pearance, and has been greatly admired by all who have had the pleasure of 

 seeing it. 



Oct. '20, 1840. 



On m.ooMiNCi Smith's Scarlet Geranium. — In your Cabinet of December 

 I see that an " Old Subscriber" is anxious to know how to cultivate the Smith\s 

 Scarlet Geranium so as to have an abundant bloom during the summer. I here- 

 with send the plan which 1 adopted with great success during the past season. 

 Early in Alay I planted a well rooted plant of Smith's Conqueror into an open 

 border against a wall having a south aspect, in a good soil of dung and loam : 

 it first of all grew very rapidly, say four to five feet high, and then commenced 

 flowering about the latter part of June, and did not cease until the middle of 

 October. My garden is walled round. 



Camberwell, Dec. 12. 1840. Hon 



