BRIEF REMARKS. 91 



The plants grown in the greenhouse attain the height of two feet or 

 upwards, but in the open bed they do not exceed more than eighteen 

 inches (generally about twelve). The plants being allowed to root or 

 spread without obstruction, become bushy, instead of being drawn up 

 weakly. Early in November I take up the plants from the bed, and 

 repot them into the same kind of soil, well draining the pots, and being 

 careful to have fine soil to shake in among the fibrous roots. I have 

 also kept the plants through winter by having them planted in a 

 Mignonette box, closely together. In both instances I keep them in 

 winter in a cool frame, sunk below the surface of the surrounding 

 ground, in which for the last two winters they have kept well. I only 

 give water in winter just to keep the soil moist. 



They are readily propagated by cutting the roots into pieces of an 

 inch Ion?, laying them flat on the soil, covering them half an inch, and 

 placing "the pot in a hot-bed frame, &c, and they quickly push roots 

 and shoots. A bed of mixed sorts is most interesting. — An Amateur 

 Florist, St. Johns Wood. 



Watering Plants in Pots. — An excess of water is injurious, and, 

 persevered in, death soon follows. This has especially to be guarded 

 against during winter with the more delicate tribes; but it often 

 happens that the opposite extreme is fallen into, and, as I have seen, 

 during even the present mild winter, in one nursery establishment, vast 

 numbers have perished by drought. It should be borne in mind that 

 immediately the soil becomes so dry that the fibrous roots cannot 

 absorb moisture from it, the supply of food is cut off, and the plant 

 suffers immediately, and death soon ensues. This is especially the case 

 with the Heaths and other similar Jine-rooted plants. This state of 

 dryness should not be permitted to occur, particularly during the 

 growing season. When water, however, is given, always let there be 

 sufficient to moisten all the ball of soil; and do not give another 

 watering till there is reason to suppose nearly all the moisture is 

 absorbed. — An Old Practitioner. 



Out-door Treatment of Nympilea cozrueea. — During the sum- 

 mer of 1849, my plant, a seedling, was planted in a tub, and placed 

 about ten inches beneath the surface of the water in an uncovered tank. 

 It withstood the severity of the following winter, and made fresh leaves 

 next May. Last year it grew luxuriantly, but did not flower. It lost 

 its leaves from frost last October. I examined it yesterday ; the caudex 

 is quite plump and healthy, and I expect it to flower this season. It 

 must be borne in mind, however, that the tank in which it grows oc- 

 cupies a semicircular recess, and is screened from the north, east, and 

 west by a wall twelve feet in height. A terrace walk passes the front 

 of the recess which is open to the south. It will be seen, therefore, 

 that the plant has a favourable situation. In the same tank I have 

 also Limnocharis Humboldtii, Agapanthus umbellatns, Villarsia 

 nymphaeoides, Aponogeton distachyon, Calla aethiopica, Mimulus 

 rivularis, Acorns Calamus, and the white and yellow Water Lilies. 

 AH these flourish satisfactorily. A thermometer, whose bulb rested 

 on the tub, indicated 38° when ice an inch thick covered the sur- 

 face. I placed it in the same situation this morning, and it regis- 

 tered 41°. My supply of water is by no means constant, the crown of 



