68 BRIEF REMARKS. 



frame- work, the bars being two inches deep and one broad. It was 

 formed of four pieces of wood, the length of the mat, and they were 

 joined at the top and bottom, at equal distances apart, to similar cross 

 pieces ; and across the interior part of the frame I had three strips of 

 thin sheet-iron nailed on from side to side, which kept the bars firm in 

 their places. After being thus formed, I had them coated over twice 

 with hot gas tar, and when the last coat was put on I had it wholly 

 sprinkled over with fine sand ; this gave it a rough surface, like stone. 

 During the very severe frost we have recently had, I found them to 

 answer most fully. The frame-work keeps the mat from touching the 

 glass, and a space of two inches exists, whicii prevents the frost from 

 reaching the glass. However, during the severest nights I had a 

 portion of short dry hay (saved from the sweepings of the lawn in 

 summer) laid upon the glass, and the mat frames placed upon it. Not 

 a plant was in the least affected, although I had not any fire heat. 

 The frame covers are soon put on and taken off; no breaking of glass, 

 as is generally happening with other modes; and I am confident, if 

 these covers are fresh coated with gas tar every season, they will endure 

 for many years. They cost me 2*. each in materials, and my own 

 labourer in the garden nailed together, and otherwise completed them, 

 at sundry times when wet weather occurred. I used to pay Is. 6d. 

 each for mats every season, but this method is a considerable saving, 

 and far more effectual. — G. G. 



Cultivation of Brunsvigia Josephine. — In March 1844, I 

 received three fine bulbs, among various others, of Brunsvigia Jose- 

 phinae, from the Cape. They were at once potted in good fresh turfy- 

 loam. In November the leaves became yellow, and water was with- 

 held, but was resumed in December, when new leaves began to appear ; 

 they were also plunged in water for a few hours, to ensure the balls of 

 earth being saturated ; the top mould was also removed, and replaced 

 with leaf-mould. During the winter they were kept in a warm green- 

 house, in a temperature often down as low as 35 . The flower-stems 

 are always cut off' as soon as the last flowers begin to wither. The 

 pots are then placed out of doors, and are allowed to remain as late in 

 the autumn as possible. — Charles Leach, in the Journal of the Horti- 

 cultural Society. 



Belladonna Lily. — This showy and truly splendid bulb has, I 

 fear, not been treated with that attention which its merits as a late 

 autumn flowering bulb deserve. It is true that we may here and there 

 see a few imported plants of it in flower in pots, decorating the green- 

 house or conservatory at this season ; but they afford but a poor idea 

 of the gorgeous flowers which this Lily produces when cultivated out 

 of doors. 



About twelve years ago I had a number of imported bulbs, and after 

 they had blossomed in pots, they were planted out close to the front 

 wall of a greenhouse, but they had no more protection there than they 

 would have had at the bottom of any south wall. The holes in which 

 they were planted were about eighteen inches deep, and wide in pro- 

 portion, four feet apart, and filled up with good sandy loam. In tliese 

 holes four bulbs were planted, four inches deep; they were then covered 



