168 MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. 



On Hybridising Plants. — The season for numerous plants blooming hay- 

 ing arrived, I suggest to amateurs, nurserymen, and gardeners, the propriety 

 of attending to artificial impregnation of all those kinds of flowers likely to 

 become fertile. We are much indebted to the zeal and attention of a few 

 persons whose efforts have been crowned with abundant success in furnish- 

 ing our stoves, greenhouses, conservatories, and flower gardens with some 

 of the most ornamental flowering plants ; need I state the lilly, calceolarias, 

 petunias, panseys, phloxs, salvias, fuchsias, verbenas, geraniums, rhodo- 

 dendrons, azaleas, &c. &c A little attention in this process will undoubtedly 

 be rewarded with more than ample compensation, and what is more inter- 

 esting in plant culture than to have a number of seedling plants coming into 

 bloom. The pleasing anxiety and gratification is extreme. A small pointed 

 camel hair pencil is often needed in the operation, where the blossoms cannot 

 be bronght into contact. 



May 26th An ardent Admirer and Cultivator. 



REFERENCE TO PLATE. 



Euphorbia fulgens. Fulgens-flowered. This very strikingly singular 

 and beautiful flowering species, is a native of Mexico, and requires to be 

 grown in this country in the stove. The graceful habit aud appearance of 

 the plant, even when not in bloom, in addition to its splendour, when loaded 

 ■with its brilliant coloured flowers, render it a most charming plant, and it 

 certainly merits a place in every collection of hothouse plants. 



It grows very rapidly, so that a small plant obtained soon increases to an 

 ornamental object. Cuttings inserted in sand, strike root very freely, and 

 plants can be purchased at a very reasonable price. A compost of equal 

 parts of sandy peat and rich loam, appear to suit the plant best, E splen- 

 dens is a very beautiful flowering species, but the present kind very far ex- 

 cels it in elegance and splendour. 



Petunia marginata prasima. Mr. Luke's grass green-edged Petunia. 

 The singularity and beauty of this very distinct variety is most striking 

 When the drawing was sent us, we was much struck with it, but far more so 

 when we got plants of it in bloom. It was raised by Mr. Luke the very 

 intelligent gardener to Earl Morely, who kindly presented it to us. The 

 improvement that has been effected with the Felucia is certainly striking, 

 we now possess twenty very distinct varieties, some of them very handsome. 

 The fact that the plants are of very rapid growth, profuse in blooming, easy 

 of increase, and their being so suitable to train over the surface of a bed at 

 any desired height, or to train against a trellis, or to be kept as ornamental 

 bushes, alike render them deserving a place in every flower garden or green- 

 house. When once a variety is obtained, it is very easily kept by putting 

 oft a number of cuttings in a pot, during the end of summer, being thus kept 

 through winter aud potted off in spring. A bed of them can be most readily 

 provided. A number of varieties grown together in a bed, produce a very 

 pretty effect. 



Petunia vittata. Striped flowered. Is another of the pretty varieties 

 recently raised, and which we obtained. 



FLORICULTURAL CALENDAR FOR JULY. 



Take up the remaining tuberous root, such as Anemone and Ranunculus, 

 finishing by the end of the first week ; fill up their places and any vacancies 

 that have occurred, with annuals from the reserve ground. Propagate her- 

 baceous and other plants that have gone out of flower, by means of cuttings 

 and slips ; also roses and American shrubs, by lading, budding, or cuttings. 



