MISCELLANY OF NOTES AND CORRESPONDENCE. 71 



warm and sheltered situation, will bloom to the end of the season. To have 

 plants to bloom in spring and early summer, sow seed the end of August, plant 

 in small pots, and keep them from frost in the greenhouse, in a dry situation, or 

 in a cool frame during winter, and repot them in February following, pinching 

 off the first blooms, as before observed, to cause the production of lateral shouts. 

 We have grown plants in this way half a yard hit^h, and quite bushy. 



Conductor.] 



On the Christmas Rose. — I am desirous to have next winter a bed of the 

 Christmas Rose, but the same situation to be occupied by some other tiower 

 during summer. Will the plants do to be taken up. and be kept dry till the end 

 of summer, and then be planted with a certainty of blooming? If so, at what 

 period should they be planted ? A list of a few kinds, too, will additionally 

 oblige S. S. 



[When it is desirous to remove them from the bed, take them with as entire 

 balls as possible, and replant them in good soil and a suitable situation ; water 

 them well as soon as planted. At the end of the summer season remove them 

 to the winter situation with as much care as possible, water, &c, and they will 

 bloom satisfactorily. Or grow them in large pots during summer, attend to 

 them properly, and then turn them out into the bed, or plunge the pots overhead, 

 and thus save the trouble of repotting, &c. 



Helleborus atro-mbens, purple ; H. dumetorum, green ; fcetidus, green ; 

 lividus, purple; niger, pink; odorus, green; purpurasceus, purple and green; 

 vernalis. white ; viridus, green ; orientalis, blush ; cupreus, copper colour ; 

 pallidus, white and green.] 



Floral Operations for March. 



Amaryllises, and other liliaceous bulbous plants which have been kept 

 dormant, may now be re-potted, aud put into an increased temperature. 



Annuals, Hardy, such as Clarkias, Nemophilas, Larkspurs, &c. — If the soil 

 be moderately dry, some of the most hardy kinds, to bloom early in the summer, 

 may be sown in warm parts of the country, or situations well protected, but in 

 cold places not until the end of the month ; for if the seeds of many sorts begin 

 to vegetate, and frost optrate upon them, they are often destroyed. The best 

 method of sowing the small seeds in patches is to have a quantity of finely sifted 

 soil ; spread a portion where desired ; after scattering the seed, sprinkle a little 

 more soil over them, and then press it closely upon the seeds, which will assist 

 them in vegetating properly. 



Annuals, Tender, such as Cockscombs, Balsams, Stocks, &c. — Such as have 

 been sown, and may be up, should have all possible air given to prevent their 

 being drawn up weakly, in watering those in pots they must not be watered over 

 the tops, or many of the sorts will be rotted by it. The best method is to flood 

 over the surface of each pot, always using water that is new-milk warm. Those 

 annuals sown in frames must be watered (when requisite) with a very fine 

 syringe, or pan-rose to sprinkle with ; but the best plan is to take advantage of 

 gentle rains. For any seeds yet requiring to be sown, use fine soil pressed to the 

 seeds : and, when convenient, place the pots (if used) in moist heat till the 

 plantsareup. Cockscombs, Amaranthus, Balsam, Brow allia, Brachycoma, Thun- 

 bergias, Maurandias, &c, if large enough to pot, should be done in sixty-sized 

 pots. 



Auriculas. — Those requiring top-dressing should be done immediately, by 

 taking off about two inches deep of the top-soil, replacing it with some very rich ; 

 more than one-half of it should be rotten cow-dung two years old, and the rest 

 loam and sand. Immediately after this dressing, let the soil be well settled by 

 a free watering. By the end of the month the unexpended blossoms will be 

 nearly full grown ; no water must be allowed to fall on them, or the blossoms 

 would be liable to suffer injury by it. All possible air may be admitted to the 

 plants during the day, only screen from cutting frosty winds. 



