MISCELLANY OF NOTES AND CORRESPONDENCE. 263 



ing applied could do no injury in winter, if not so thick as to induce the shoots 

 prematurely to push forth, and this would the more affect them if retained as 

 covering, later than the beginning of March. We saw a bed of them grown in 

 a peat soil, and very few flowers were produced, but a vigorous foliage uniformly. 

 We never covered the roots with any addition in winter, beyond a slight sprink- 

 ling of soil when digging the adjoining ground. — Conductor.] 



On Eranthemtjm pulchellum. — Blues amongst forced flowers are rare ; there- 

 fore, this plant is very desirable. Struck ^from cuttings in the early part of 

 February, and highly cultivated, they will make nice bushes by the early part of 

 August, when they should be removed from the stove to the cool greenhouse, to 

 check further excitement to growth. Introduced to a lively temperature of from 

 65° to 70° in the early part of November, and if possible to botiom-heat, they 

 will blossom beautifully through December and January; when, if cut down 

 disrooted, and carried through the same routine as the cuttings, they will make 

 better bushes still by the autumn following — having more flowers in proportion 

 to the foliage. These plants delight in abundance of moisture at the root, and 

 are better kept in pans of water when in flower. Soil should be strong loam, 

 peat, and leaf-mould. 



On Mignonette. — Everybody's favourite, and is easily grown, provided good 

 frame or pit room can be secured for if. Two sowings, the one about the first 

 week in August, and the other three weeks later, will furnish plants for both 

 autumn and spring. They may be sown in a small bed, and, when compact 

 plants, may be transferred to 5-inch pots, putting five or six in each pot. They 

 require much care on their removal, and must be placed in a close and moist 

 atmosphere for a week ; in fact they should receive cutting treatment. They 

 enjoy abundance of light: no soil or plan will flower them in perfection unless 

 they are near the glass. A back shelf in a pit, or a frame made up specially for 

 them with the glass thoroughly washed, and s the pots placed on, or rather 

 plunged in, ashes, is the best situation for them. 



It is necessary, in oider to make the plants thick and stout, to pinch the 

 terminal bud of each off when they are thoroughly rooted in the pots, and no 

 before. Air must be given abundantly at all times possible. They must be 

 well secured against severe frosts by plenty of covering, and kept somewhat dry 

 at the root during the dark months of November and December. The soil may 

 be two parts of turfy loam, and the third equal parts manure and leaf soil, to 

 which is added coarse sand and charcoal sittings. Clericus. 



On forcing Hyacinths, &c. — The chief business is to get the root well esta- 

 blished before growth commences, otherwise it is impossible to produce an early 

 and strong bloom. Most of the failures are chargeable to the omission of this 

 most important point ; and the fault has not unfrequently been charged, most 

 unjustly, on the roots. A soil composed principally of a mellow loam, with the 

 addition of old cow manure and leaf soil, and a sprinkling of sharp sand and 

 fine charcoal dust, will be found excellent material. Secure good drainage, and 

 pot the bulb high — three parts above the level of the rim, taking care that the 

 soil is in a mellow state, neither wet nor dry. They succeed by far the best in a 

 cold frame, and it is most desirable that they should receive no moisture, beyond 

 what the soil contains, until the pot is somewhat filled with roots. Those who 

 have not the convenience of a frame may plunge them in cinder ashes in some 

 sheltered spot, taking care to raise them above the ground level, for fear of water 

 lodging. Take care, and let them be covered with six inches of some mellow 

 material, such as old tan, old leaf soil, sawdust (if not too new), or ashes. Re- 

 move them to a warmer temperature as required ; a few may be forwarded at a 

 time, and so prolong the blooming season. Fi.owsta. 



