ON MYRTLES. 223 



a week, which is quite sufficient for hot-house cuttings, as they are 

 not so liable to suffer from this cause, as those of greenhouse plants. 



As the heat of the bed declines, it will be necessary to have another 

 properly tempered ready, in which to plunge them, when requisite; 

 or otherwise, let old be renovated with linings of fresh warm dung, 

 but in such a manner, as to avoid creating any violent degree of heat 

 or strong rank steam in the bed, as it is better to do it often and but 

 slightly at a time, it being a trifling increase of labour, compared 

 with the probable consequences. By this management one may 

 expect to have some of the free growing kinds well rooted, and make- 

 ing rapid progress, in the course of a very few weeks ; when such is 

 the case, it will be necessary to give a little air by taking off the bell- 

 glasses at night, and to keep them a little moister than before. If 

 they endure this pretty well for a few days, tbey may be left off en- 

 tirely, which will harden and prepare them by the time in which it 

 may be thought convenient to part and pot them separately. 



In taking the bell-glasses off at night, it is necessary to observe 

 that from their closeness they sometimes occasion the cuttings, more 

 frequently the harder sorts, to produce young leaves and even shoots, 

 before they have sufficient roots : if at any time these should be mis- 

 taken for well rooted plants, and their glasses taken off accordingly, 

 in a ie\v hours they may be perceived by their leaves beginning to 

 flag; in which case the glasses must be immediately replaced ; other- 

 wise, if neglected, these tender shoots will be utterly spoiled, and it 

 will be a very great chance whether the cuttings will ever produce 

 more or not. 



Should the above circumstance happen, they will be observed to 

 be more impatient of damp afterwards : as indeed will all those be 

 which are growing ; the glasses should therefore be more frequently 

 dried, and kept off until the leaves, &c. which were under them be- 

 come dry by evaporation ; lest we risk their success, I mav say 

 perhaps, their existence, by rotting the first weak efforts towards 

 active life. 



(To be continued.) 



ARTICLE III.— ON MYRTLES.— From an Old Author. 

 Mons. Liger describes the Myrtle as follows : It is a shrub, that 

 from its root shoots forth little branches, garnished with small, green, 

 soft, shining, and pointed leaves, among which grow flowers called 

 Pentapclous, or consisting of five leaves, white, odoriferous, and in 

 the form of a Rose. These are supported by an indented cup, which 

 grows to be a berry as big as an olive, with a crown on the top, divi- 

 ded into several cells full of seeds, shaped like little kidneys. 



