ON CONTRASTING THE COLOURS OF VLOWERS. 7 



to the system of the one shift practice, the plants bloom sooner, and 

 form better shaped specimens. When I want to have extra bushy- 

 plants, I stop the leads of side shoots too to induce the required pro- 

 duction. Nice bushy plants are much preferable to the long-legged 

 stragglers. 



All my plants bloom freely in the second spring from the time of 

 striking, and at tliat age I send out my stock of blooming plants. For 

 the better sale of plants, I force them tolerably early into bloom. I 

 also find this of great advantage to the well ripening of the young 

 wood. 



Some of the delicate-growing kinds, as Gledstanni, miniata, variegata, 

 &c., grow much more vigorous by being grafted or inarched, upon a 

 year old plant of one stem, or any of the strong growing kinds, as 

 robusta, formosa, plioenicea, &c. Tlie best time to do it is when the 

 new wood is about three parts ripe. With the generality this is the 

 case from the middle of June to August. In grafting, I cut off the 

 head of the stock so low, that the bark of the graft on each side will 

 fit together with that of the stock. I make a slit down the middle of 

 the stock an inch long, inserting therein the graft, wliich is cut so as 

 to fit it down to shaved point. I secure them by tying with worsted. 

 After grafting, the plants are placed in a hot-bed frame, shaded, &c., 

 or in a propagating house under a hand-glass. With the usual treat- 

 ment of occasionally sprinkling over head, &c., they become united in 

 three or four weeks. By inarching I merely cut off the head of the 

 stock, leaving the cut in a sloping direction ; then having cut a notch 

 in it, I cut the shoot of the kind I wish to increase as is done in layer- 

 ing carnations, having the tongue formed so as to fit the notched 

 incision, then securing tlie parts as is done with grafting. In tliis way 

 I never had a failure. When the union is well effected, I sever the 

 new plants from the parent, and place them in a frame, shaded, &c. 

 The usual treatment is afterwards pursued. 



It is essential to the Azalea blooming freely, that the wood be 

 ripened early by forcing ; after the growth is completed, then gradu- 

 ally to inure it to the open air, to which, and full sun, they must be 

 fully exposed during August and September. This being done, the 

 wood becomes firm and thoroughly ripened. 



ON CONTRASTING- THE COLOURS OF FLOWERS. 



Several, correspondents have from time to time solicited information 

 on this particular, so as to enable tliem to make the best disposition of 

 flowers when grown in masses ; and although some communications on 

 the subject have been inserted in our Magazine, we are glad to obtain 

 any additional observations likely to be serviceable to our readers in 

 grouping tlieir flowers. Some very interesting and useful remarks on 

 this subject have been given by Dr. Liiidley, in the Gardeners'" Chronicle 

 of December 15th, who observes, — *' It is with a view of remedying 

 the evil just noticed, that we proceed once more to lay before our 

 readers, and in much more detail than formerly, the great principles 



