118 MISCELLANY OF NOTES AND CORRESPONDENCE. 



Gardeners' Associations kor Mutual Instruction. — In former Numbers 

 of this Magazine we have remarked upon these very useful societies; and it »s 

 pleasing to notice their extension throughout the country. The followin g 

 derails of the meeting of the Stamford Hill, Clapton, and Stoke Newington 

 Gardeners' Association has been forwarded to us, and which, we doubt not, will 

 be useful to our readers. 



Jan. 19. — Mr. Merry in the chair. — Mr. Crichton, gardener to J. Foster, 

 Esq., read a paper on the culture of Achimenes and other plants belonging to 

 the natural order of Gesnerads. This order. Mr. C. stated to contain several 

 genera of great interest, rive of which, namely, Achimenes, Gesneia, Gloxinia, 

 Sinuingia, and Niphea, he would treat of collectively. Beautiful, says MrrC., 

 as are the whole of them, the Achimenes are the most attractive; their dwarf 

 bushy habit, brilliant flowers, and the length of time they continue to bloom, 

 render them worthy of our care in cultivating them for the greenhouse or con- 

 servatory. The species longiflora, grandiflora, pedunculata, rosea, and picta, 

 come from Guatemala ; and coccinea from Jamaica; the other four g«nera are 

 natives of the West Indies and of South America. They all like a stove heat, 

 but they may also be grown without such convenience ; for most of the 

 Achimenes, and stveral of the Gloxinias, wiH attain a high degree of perfection 

 in a cucumber-frame. The compost I employ is light sandy loam, turfy peat, 

 and rotten dung, in equal parts, with a little silver sand; these are mixed well 

 together in the autumn, previously to being used, allowing the mixture to 

 remain exposed to the action of the air till wanted, but protected from rain. 

 These plants are all readity propagated from under-ground tubers and from 

 leaves; where the latter are preferred, they should be inserted in sand and peat, 

 and covered with a bell-glass, plunging the pots in a hotbed ; the bell-glass 

 should he wiped dry every day until the plants are rooted, when it should be 

 removed altogether, and air given to encourage their growth. In order to keep 

 up a succession of blooming plants from April till the dark months of the suc- 

 ceeding winter, some are started at different times in spring, commencing 

 about the middle of January. The bulbs are taken out of the dry soil in which 

 they have been stored, and are potted singly (choosing the strongest), in 3-inch 

 pots, well drained and filled with the above-mentioned soil, placing a little silver 

 s.nul round each bulb. Gloxinias, Gesneras, and others which 'grow from the 

 same bulb every year, are placed in pots just large enough to admit of their 

 annual growth. After receiving a little water they are placed in a hotbed or 

 house, where the temperature ranges from 60° at night to 70° by day, and the 

 fermenting material in which they are plunged from 75° to 80°, not higher, as 

 either excess of heat or water at this early stage of excitement would be inju- 

 rious. When the pots become filled with roots they are shifted at once into 

 those in which they are to be flowered. The Achimenes have the best effect 

 when grown in masses ; this is done by taking four plants out of small pots, 

 and planting them in a larger one, or in a pan, of a foot in diameter or so, in 

 proportion to the size required, with two or three inches of potsherds in the 

 I ;.t torn, to secure perfect drainage; the top as we'll as the bottom heat is now 

 rased to about 80°, keeping up a moist atmosphere. The Achimenes are 

 syiinged frequently, and air is given at every favourable opportunity, and water 

 when necessary : but the latter with care, as many of the fleshy-leaved kinds are 

 easily injured by too much water. When small pots are employed, liquid 

 ure is given twice a-week. but never before the roots have completely filled 

 the pots ; while growing they are kept as near the glass as possible, removing 

 them when in bloom to 1he greenhouse, but taking care not to expose them to 

 cdd draughts; shading is sometimes necessary to preserve the flowers. For 

 winter blooming, Achimenes picta, Niphea oblouga, Gesnera zebrina, lateritia, 

 oblongata, and bulbosa, are employed ; but, although the others are not seen in 

 bloom in the dark months of winter, Mr. C. believed them to possess capa- 

 ; for that purpose, provided a proper course of treatment were adopted. 

 After they have done (lowering, water is partially withheld ; and, when the tops 

 h.ive died down, the roots are removed to any place free from frost and moisture 

 till they are wanted. — Mr. Merry remarked, that he started the bulbs before he 

 took them out of the store-pots ; he then planted three in a 5-inch pot (three of 



