MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. 141 



to the soil ! By informing mc on this subject you « ill oblige your constant 



, ' Llpinus. 



reader, 



Answer— We hope some of our friends will favour I.tPiNtJS with the desi- 

 red information. In the meantime, we beg to inform him of the best method 

 we know to adopt with his pinks. Procure a sheep or calf bladder, either 

 mav be had for one penny; after being blown up, let it dry a little, then cut 

 it iiito shreds about one-eighth of an inch broad, and long enough to wrap 

 round the pink pod two or three times. After moistening the bladder shred, 

 wrap it round the pod, about the middle, the shred will adhere to the pod as 

 if glued • it entirely prevents the pod bursting. When the flower bursts forth, 

 the shred may be taken away ; this is necessary in cases of flowers to be exhi- 

 bited in competition, as no such accommodation is allowed by Florists^. In 

 taking oft- the shred, wet it, and it will readily pull oft'; the above method is 

 far preferable to tying, matting, worsted, thread, &c. round the pods as they 

 often get damaged by tying loosing, &c. Perhaps the reason of the pods 

 bursting, may be in consequence of the extreme richness of the soil in whicti 

 they grow, added to a great deal of moisture they may have been supplied 

 with; we know these things encourage the defect. Conductor. 



I shall be glad if you, or any of your correspondents, will inform me in the 

 Florictillural Cabinet, how to bloom the following plants, viz. :— Doiyanthus 

 cxci-lsa, Epidendrum aloif61ium, (Cymbidinm aloifolium) Combrfetum como- 

 gum, Aristolochia labiosa. I have grown the above plants for more than two 

 years, and they have not yet bloomed, but are iu good health, and now are 

 large plants. They are grown on a back shelf in a pine stove. 



Joseph Tew, Gardener to Wm. Robins, Esq. 



Ilagky, Worcestershire, June 13, 1833. 



A few hints on the culture of Ixia's, Antholyzas, Watsonias, Lachenalias, 

 and Guernsey Lilies, either in pots or the open ground, how often to be re- 

 moved, soil, situation, &c. would be very acceptable. Snowdrop. 



Carnations.— I should be much obliged by your informing me of the 

 cause of, and cure for. Carnations dying off when near bloom. I have just 

 lost several, and a neighbour of mine has been equally unfortunate. 



Iris. 



What is the proper culture of the "Cactus spcciocissimus" as a greenhouse 

 plant, to get it into bloom without artificial heat?— It will be very acceptable 

 to myself, and I doubt not to many of the readers of the Florist's Magazine 

 also, if some instructions be given as to the proper supply of water re<iuiied to 

 greenhouse plants in general, during winter, parliculiuly the Geianiacea;. 



An Amateur. 

 ANSWERS. 



Reply to an Amateur resident at Camherwell. — I beg to state, that 

 I have cultivated that beautiful and graceful plant, mentioned in his Query, 

 for above three years, and have now a plant not more than two years old, five 

 feet in height, and as many in circumference. My opinion is, that putting 

 the plants indoors on an evening, is the cause of the buds dropping oil', as I 

 always leave mine out night and day, as soon as the frosts are over; in 

 the next place, it is probably for want of water; when coming into bloom, they 

 »h«tild be plentifully supplied, at lea,st every fourand twunty horns, and a i)an 

 ki-pt under them. 1 have no doubt, if your Correspondent will adopt lliis 

 plan, he will find himself rewarded by a splendid sliow of these delightful 

 iliiwer!). 



Ilayawater, July 1 , 1 833. W. Montague. 



Mercy on us! No less than three licar's paws at work together in 

 ncratiliiny up a poor Unowdrop — there is really no withstanding it. I 

 ilcclure lliey have so battered ami bruised ine that 1 shall be loiii/ 

 before J l>looni again, or raise my drooping head. 'I'lie owners of (he paws 

 nuut <iurely have i.npped lugilliLT at flhirliii Hull ! on aciduli)us substances, 

 and si|Ui-e/i(l the lemon into the inkstand insleail of the punch bowl. As I 

 am too much iiuinukd lo make a stuud ugaiusl all my rough aulagouisls at 



