240 METHOD OF DRYING AND PRESERVING SPECIMENS OF FLOWERS. 



appears on any plants, dust them with sulphur immediately. Camellias 

 may be grafted ; the operation may be performed with the greatest 

 success by pursuing the method the French call " graffe en placage," 

 which is merely inserting that portion of wood that includes a bud and 

 leaf cut longitudinally into a corresponding cleft in the stock. The 

 grafted subjects should be plunged in bottom heat, and kept covered 

 for at least a month. Hoses may still be budded. Nail to the wall 

 young shoots of Banksian Roses. Cut clean away those not wanted. 

 Prepare beds of Sweet Violets. Roses for forcing too. Collect seeds 

 as they ripen. 



IN THE GREENHOUSE, COLD FRAME, &c. 

 Cuttings of nearly all plants may be successfully struck yet ; but the 

 earlier they are put in the better. Towards the end of the month take 

 in the tenderer greenhouse plants ; but the house should be white- 

 washed, «fec, previously if required. Repot Chrysanthemums, if the 

 pots they are in be full of roots ; give manure water once a-week. See 

 on culture the articles in early numbers of this year. Cinerarias : pot 

 off singly the offsets, also seedlings. Seed may still be sown, but as early 

 as possible, in order to have the plants strong enough to pot off before 

 winter. Cuttings of bedding plants should be put in directly. Pot off 

 singly rooted cuttings of Pelargoniums, &c. Cuttings of Tea Hoses, 

 China, Bourbon, &c, soon strike root at this period. See last number 

 for remarks upon insertion, &c. 



A SIMPLE METHOD OF DRYING AND PRESERVING 

 SPECIMENS OF FLOWERS. 



BY MB. H. STILWELL, OF PINE APPLE-PLACE NURSERY, LONDON. 



{Continued from page 203.) 



To do this it is necessary to have some common writing-paper cut into 

 half-sheets, a large camel-hair pencil with the handle pointed, and the 

 following mixture : — One ounce of gum-tragacanth, one ounce of gum- 

 arabic, and one ounce of brown sugar. Mix the gum-tragacanth, and 

 then add the other ingredients, adding water till it is of the consistence 

 of cream. If a small piece of camphor is added, it will keep the 

 mixture from fermenting, and prevent insects from destroying the 

 specimens. 



Having got a sufficient number of specimens belonging to the same 

 order, whether of the natural or Linnaan system (I greatly prefer the 

 natural arrangement), to fill a page without crowding, lay one on its 

 face, and dipping the hair-pencil in the prepared mixture, spread it 

 over the whole of the back part of the specimen, then lay it on half 

 a sheet of the writing-paper, and press it down. Place the other speci- 

 mens in a similar manner till the page is properly filled ; then cover it 

 with a sheet of paper, and place it under the press for a few minutes, 

 in order to keep the specimens down till the gum mixture is dry. After 

 being taken out of the press, write at the top of the page the name of 

 the order, and the situation (country) where discovered, as well as the 

 date when found, under each respective specimen. 



