38 BRIEF REMARKS. 



of each class for next season's bloom, I had tlie masses planted remote 

 from each other. The single-flowered were grown above a hundred 

 yards distant from the double-flowered, a flower-garden (without Asters) 

 being between, so that I have no fear of my double kinds being injured 

 by impregnation from single ones. Try my method of treatment in a 

 very rich soil, and the plants a foot apart; water as I did, and the 

 result will more than repay. — A Sussex Amateur Gardener. 



Echites. — (Dipladenia of some). These are fine stove, climbing 

 plants, and as some of our correspondents have stated they have found 

 some difficulty in growing them satisfactorily, the following method of 

 treatment by Mr. Appleby, in the establishment of Messrs. Henderson, 

 will, we think, if attended to, prove satisfactory. 



Towards the end of summer, the season of rest commences by gra- 

 dually withholding water from those species which have large fleshy 

 roots, and as they have substance in themselves, water is entirely 

 withheld till the time to start them in February cr March following. 

 Those kinds not having thick fleshy roots, he gives as much water only 

 as saves them from shrivelling during their season of rest. These too 

 are properly excited in spring. 



Compost. — One part loam and leaf mould, or well rotted dung, and 

 three parts turfy sand peat. 



Potting. — The outer part of the old ball is carefully reduced so as 

 not to injure the roots. The pots are large to admit of them growing 

 vigorously; well drained. The compost is not sifted, but well broken 

 together by the hand. After potting, plunge in a bark bed, or where 

 bottom heat can be received. Where the stems survive through winter, 

 and side shoots push in spring, three or four only are retained, and the 

 others cut off clean make excellent cuttings (when a few inches long,) 

 to strike in silver sand, under a bell glass, for a stock of plants. 



The plants must have water given in a moderate degree, so the soil 

 be just moist ; they must not be flooded, for, the roots being very deli- 

 cate, if soddened they speedily canker and perish. 

 V Hybrid Rhododendrons. — In the recently published part 4, vol. 5, 

 of the Journal of the Horticultural Society, there is an article inserted 

 on hybridizing this tribe of plants, by Messrs. Standish and Noble, of 

 Bagshot, which is instructive and interesting. The following is an 

 extract : — 



" As so little is known in connection with the nature and effect of 

 hybridizing amongst plants we shall take this opportunity of endeavour- 

 ing to describe, with reference to the Rhododendron, some of the pecu- 

 liarities which a very extensive practice has presented to us. "We find 

 that, analogous to what is observed in the animal kingdom, the greater 

 the cross the more healthy the progeny, and that breeding ' in and in' 

 produces weak and deteriorated constitutions. We have a remarkable 

 instance of this in a batch of hybrids raised from Caucassicum album 

 (that being a hybrid), fertilized by its own pollen. The plants are 

 extremely dwarf, with variegated foliage ; so dwarf are they that many 

 of them had eight or ten flower buds on when only from four to six 

 inches high, and four years old. They, however, bloomed quite freely 

 when only three years old, and about as many inches high. Flowers 



