MISCELLANY OF NOTES AND CORRESPONDENCE. 239 



grass to grow where it otherwise would not. The leaves are not shed periodi- 

 cally ; this character appears common to the entire southern hemisphere, 

 namely, South America, Australia, and the Cape of Good Hope. The inhabit- 

 ants of this hemisphere, and of the intertropical regions, thus lose perhaps one 

 of the most glorious, though to our eyes common spectacles in the world — the 

 first bursting into full foliage of the leafless tree. — Darwin's Journal of a Voyage 

 round the World. 



On striking Cuttings. — Some excellent directions for increasing exotic plants 

 has appeared in the Cabinet, I am induced to add that propagation by cuttings 

 is one of the most important parts of the gardening profession ; and the princi- 

 ples on which it is based should be constantly present to the mind of the 

 operator. Selection of wood may be termed the first point. The wood, as a 

 general principle, should be short jointed, somewhat mature, and for plants in an 

 active state, possessing leaves perfectly developed. The due care of the leaf 

 (on which so much depends), is the next great object; this should never be 

 allowed to flag or droop, from the moment it is taken from the mother plant. 

 Hence the propriety of using striking glasses, which although inclosing a some- 

 what vitiated atmosphere, prevent any undue perspiration in the leaf; which 

 circumstance is of more importance than the character of the atmosphere. In 

 making cuttings, the more of sound healthy leaves that can be retained the 

 better, provided they can be carefully preserved ; but in order to find room for 

 the crowding multitudes of modern plantations, it often becomes absolutely 

 necessary to reduce these organs. In doing this there is no occasion to strip the 

 cutting like a hedge Poplar — every stump of a leaf, and even footstalk that can 

 be left without crowding the adjoining cutting, contributes its quota to the 

 success of the cutting. — Conservatory. 



Moral Operations for September. 



Annual Flower Seeds, as Clarkia, Collinsia, Schizauthuses, Ten Week 

 Stocks, &c, uow sown in pots, and kept in a cool frame or greenhouse during 

 winter, will be suitable for planting out in open borders next April. Such plants 

 bloom early and fine, and their flowering season is generally closing when 

 spring-sown plants are coming into bloom. Seeds of many kinds now sown in 

 the open borders endure winter and bloom vigorously early next season. 



Camellias. — Thin the flower buds, which will tend to preserve more certainly 

 those for blooming, and cause them to be vigorous. Place some in the green- 

 house early, that are desired to bloom in December, or before, in some cases. 

 Directions for potting, &c, are given in last month's calendar. * 



Carnation Layers should immediately be potted off. 



China Rose Cuttings now strike very freely ; buds may still be put in suc- 

 cessfully, but do it as early as possible. 



Dahlias.— Where the laterals are very numerous, they should be thinned out 

 so as to have vigorous blooms. Toward the end of the month collect seeds of 

 the early-blown flowers. 



Greenhouse plants will generally require to be taken in by the end of the 

 month. If allowed to remain out much longer the foliage will often turn brown 

 from the effect of cold air. The earlier succulents are the better to save them 

 from wet. 



Luni'.LiAS.— Offsets should be potted oft', so as to have them well rooted before 

 winter. 



Mignonette may now be sown in pots to bloom in winter. 



I'kl.vrckinii ms, cuttings of, may now be put off; plants of which will bloom 

 in May. 



If Pelargoniums have not been headed down, they should now be done, the 

 sliu.its may push a little before repotting for winter. Plants which have been 

 headed down, and have pushed shoots two inches long, should be repotted. 



