48 BRIEF NOTES AND CORRESPONDENCE. 



occurred to me that, as in tlie case of some other similar plants, I 

 might increase them by striking cuttings ; I therefore had a quantity 

 inserted, and nearly every one struck root. As soon as sufficiently 

 rooted I potted them off singly into small pots ; and they were well 

 established before winter. I kept them in a dry cold pit-frame, free 

 from damp and frosf, and in April planted them out in beds, where 

 they bloomed more abundantly than those which were raised from seed. 

 This process I repeated last year, and continued to the present with 

 equal success. 



The idea of propagating Stocks from cuttings may at first sight 

 appear tedious or tiresome, but it will not be found so in practice ; 

 besides, there are other advantages to be derived from it, which are not 

 so strictly within our reach when propagating from seed, viz., the cer- 

 tainty of commanding groups of this lovely flower, all double, and, the 

 equal certainty of perpetuating any favourite or peculiar variety. I 

 have practised two methods of taking cuttings, and with equal success 

 in striking them ; but I much prefer the one to the other, as I find the 

 two methods produce very different plants ; that which I consider the 

 best, is to take the cuttings when the plants are in full bloom. On the 

 side-shoots producing the flowers, beneath the existing corymb, another, 

 and frequently two other, shoots are produced ; take off those shoots at 

 their lower joint, before they show flower, witli a sharp knife cut off 

 the two lower leaves, insert them in pots half filled with any light, rich 

 compost, and treat them a.s other soft-wooded cuttings. 



BRIEF NOTES AND CORRESPONDENCE. 



Victoria Eegia.— We have directed attention to this magnificent plant, by an 

 extract from the Botanical Magazine, amongst our notes on new plants in the 

 present number, referring our* readers for further knowledge to the magazine 

 itself. We have since observed, however, a re-issue of the account in a separate 

 and smaller form, so that persons who are not regular subscribers to that publica- 

 tion may easily possess it, as no doubt all those interested will do. 



Hybrangeas.— yl. S.— To change the colour of the flowers, your plants should 

 have received preparatory treatment. Perhaps, however, you may yet turn them 

 blue, if you now and then give them a weak solution of alum ; we have known it to 

 succeed. 



Botanical Drawings.— .4 Student.— To render these really useful they should 

 accurately represent all the characters. The best method of rendering the pencilling 

 permanent with which we are acquainted is that adopted by Mr. Christie, and de- 

 tailed in the Pharmaceutical Journal, with which perhaps you may not be familiar. 

 It is to " dissolve pale resin in spirit of wine ; lay the pencil drawing on its face 

 upon a sheet of clean paper, and brush the back of the drawing with the solution. 

 This peneti-ates through the paper in a few minutes, and as the spirit evaporates the 

 resin is deposited as a varnish on the drawing. This has the advantage of not 

 cockling the paper, which aqueous solutions will do ; and as the brush only passes 

 over the back of the drawing, none of the pencil marks are in any degree removed. 

 This process will not answer with drawings on card, or any other substance too 

 thick to be penetrated by the solution. In this case a weak solution of isinglass 

 may be placed in a shallow dish, the drawing being passed through it so as to wet 

 every part without touching it with a brush." 



