ON SOWING THE SEEDS OF EXOTIC PLANTS. 225 



called Atropurpurea, with crimson purple flowers, having a blotch, distinct dark 

 spots. A seedling Heath from Messrs. Lucombe, Pince, and Co., of Exeter, 

 named Piuea major. Mr. Widnall showed a Cactus, called Magnifica ; but it 

 is not sufficiently distinct. Mr. Steadman showed a Gesueria, which he named 

 Maculata; in size and colour it is similar to Cooperi, but has several spots at 

 the throat. 



Iii plants of a miscellaneous character we noticed, 



Three plants of Schizanthus Grahami, from Mr. Piper. Six small plants of 

 Erica depressa multiflora, from Messrs. Veitch. Five Ericas, Pinifolia, Thun- 

 bergia, Tortuliflora, Jasminiflora, and Florida compacta, from Messrs. Hender- 

 son. A basket of British Orchidese, from Mr. Keiler, Kltham, Kent: this 

 collection consisted of Orchis mascula, O. morio, O. fusca, and O. ustulata; 

 Ophrys apifera and O. aranifera, Aceras anthropophora, Listera ovata, and Pla- 

 tanthera bifolia; an extra prize was given them. A collection of ten small 

 plants of Proteacea, from Mr. Henchman, obtained an extra prize; they con- 

 sisted of Bauksia sphserocarpa, B. Brunonia, B. Hookerii. B. repens, B. prostrata, 

 Diplophragma bipinnata, Dryandra Fraserii, D. tenuifolia, and two other species 

 of Dryandra. J. Allnutt, Esq., sent Chorozema varium and C. Dicksonii, Erica 

 ventricosa coccinea minor, and E. vent, carnea. From Mr. T. Moore was a pot 

 of new and undescribed British grass, allied to Glyceria fluitans. From Mr. T. 

 Banks, of New Kent road, was an extensive collection of dried Ferns and other 

 British plants: extra prizes were awarded both to the Ferns and Phaenogamous 

 plants. 



ARTICLE III. 



ON SOWING THE SEEDS OF EXOTIC PLANTS, &c. 



BY THE FOREMAN OF A LONDON NURSERY. 



A correspondent in the Cabinet having recently asked for infor- 

 mation on sowing exotic seeds, induces me to send the following 

 particulars thereon. The method is the result of long and successful 

 practice. 



I premise the article by saying that it is necessary to be provided 

 with a stock of soil of different sorts. Whatever mould is wanted 

 for this purpose should he moderately dry, and finely sifted before 

 used. The sifting should be performed with two sieves, one of which 

 must be particularly fine, to procure surfacing and covering mould 

 for the finer seeds. 



The month of February is the most proper season for sowing these 

 seeds, as they soon vegetate at this time, and make strong handsome 

 plants by the latter end of the ensuing summer, which is an object 

 of the first consideration in this business ; for when sowed later, the 

 greater part, and more especially the tenderer species, will be too 

 weak to part into separate pots, and therefore are liable to suffer by 

 damps and rottenness, during the winter following, by being left in 

 the seed pots ; and should they be attempted to be removed at this 



