302 OBSERVATIONS ON WEIGELA ROSEA. 



inches apart ; when the roots were placed, I covered them with fine 

 sifted soil half an inch deep, gently heating it to the cuttings ; I then 

 laid four inches more of loamy soil well enriched with rotten cow- 

 dung, a year old, giving the whole a good watering, and when dry, 

 smoothened the surface over with the back of the spade. By the 

 middle of May every cutting had sent one, [and some two strong 

 shoots, and on examination, I found the soil I had covered the cut- 

 tings with, to be filled with a mass of fine roots ; at this time, July 

 5th, the shoots are more than a foot high. 



I have anxiously watered the bed, being in a sunny situation I 

 found it got dry, more especially so, having the bed raised upon the 

 old surface of the border, it would have been better to have sunk it 

 so as finally to have it even with the surrounding soil. 



[We have practised the above mode of raising Moss Roses, and 

 similar border kinds, which have been found difficult to increase 

 from cuttings of the wood or young shoots, and have never known it 

 fail. The following February is the best time to take up the young 

 plants, and remove them to beds for flowering, which they will do 

 very freely if taken up with as many fibrous roots as possible. Well 

 rotted cow-dung is the best manure for the Rose, being cooler than 

 horse-dung, &c, a portion of it laid over the roots of the plants early 

 in March, and either just pointed in or covered over with a little 

 fresh loam, improves the vigour of the plants and increases their 

 bloom. — Conductor.] 



ARTICLE IX. 



OBSERVATIONS ON WEIGELA ROSEA. 



In page 4T of our Magazine we made mention of this new syringe- 

 like plant, which is stated to be a valuable acquisition, and not only 

 as likely to flourish in the open air in this country, but very capable 

 for forcing into bloom at an early season of the year, when every 

 flower is hailed with so much gratification. Since our notice, the 

 following particulars have been given by its collector (Mr. Fortune), 

 and published by the Horticultural Society in their Journal, which 

 we have much pleasure in transcribing. 



Mr. Fortune states, " When I first discovered this beautiful plant 

 it was growing in a mandarin's garden on the island of Chusan, and 



