60 MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. 



them fine, which had a beautiful appearance. A small upright wire was at- 

 tached, to which each flower stem was secured when it required support. The 

 water is renewed in the troughs without disturbing the roots or Bulbs, a 

 small tap being fixed to draw off' the stale water, and a vessel with a long spout 

 to pour the fresh in. A tin bottom in which the construction is placed secures 

 the drip from doing injury to any furniture or window-board. In blooming them 

 in glasses, two kinds of glasses are used, viz. bright or clear glass, and the other 

 darkened: the latter is the best for the purpose, the shade excludes the light 

 from the roots, and has a tendency to promote the greater vigour of the plant. 

 The most successful mode of blooming the Hyacinth is, when the Bulb is placed 

 on the glass ; keep it in a dark place till the shoot has pushed an inch or more, 

 when it is removed to the light. This is an essential practice to succeed well. 



When the bulb is first put to the glass, the water need not be changed for a 

 week or ten days, after which it ought to be changed every two or three days, 

 putting in at each time a small piece of saltpetre. Every time the water is 

 changed after the roots have pushed, they should be carefully cleaned by rinsing 

 them in clear water, &c. in order to remove a clammy consistence which adheres 

 to the roots, and, closing up the pores, causes the plant to become sickly. 



I always take care to have the water to change with about the same tempera- 

 ture as that taken away. Whenever I perceive a sort of muddinessin the water, 

 whether at the end of two days or more, I have it removed immediately ; when 

 rain or pond-water can be had, such is preferable to hard water. 



On Nott's and Arnott's Stoves, and Kyantzed Wooo. There were in- 

 quiries, made some time since, in the " Floricultural Cabinet," if Nott's or 

 Arnott's Stoves would heat a small greenhouse or hothouse, well; and having 

 seen three or four instances where they have been tried, I can acquaint you they 

 totally fail in the intended effect. The iron stove must not be in the house, and 

 without it the pipes do not convey the heat sufficiently, so cheaply or so regu- 

 larly as the common fire flue, or the hot water system, both of which are very far 

 superior. 



Wherever the air of the house can communicate with the fire internally, the 

 air is injured for the healthy growth of the plants. Some extensive experiments 

 were made in Kent some years ago, by introducing heated air through iron pipes 

 into the stoves, in the place of the plan of heating the air which may be there. 



The Kyanized wood is exceedingly injurious when used as tubs for growing 

 plants or larger plants in ; immediately the roots touch the sides of the tub the 

 plant begins to droop, and soon after dies ; so that the preservation of the plant 

 is much to be considered before the preservation of the wood. 



Dec. 1839. J. R. 



On Annuals. — Annuals, as I have observed before, are flowers that rise, 

 bloom, and die in the same year; and must therefore be raised from seed every 

 spring. 



The first class of annuals, being very delicate, and requiring great care, with 

 the constant assistance of glass frames, I shall not even name, since they do 

 not enter into the nature of my work. 



I proceed to the second class, which are hardier than the above, though they 

 should be raised in a warm border, and be covered with a hand-glass, if you 

 wish them to flower in good time. 



The ten weeks' Stocks will grow, if sown in a warm border, towards the end 

 of March, and should be afterwards transplanted ; but if brought up in a hot- 

 bed, they will flower a month or six weeks earlier. 



The China aster, Chrysanthemum, white and purple Sultan, African and 

 French Marigolds, Persicarias, &c. will grow well in a warm border of natural 

 earth, if sown in April ; but they also flower a month earlier if they are assisted 

 by a hot-bed or glass. These annuals must be all planted out, when tolerably 

 strong, into the spots where they are destined to remain in the borders, taking 

 care to allow each plant plenty of space, that thev may not crowd each other. 

 The China aster branches into many stems and flowers, therefore they may be 

 planted singly, or not less than six inches apart. The July flowers, or more 

 commonly called gilliflowers, become expansive as they increase. They should 



