MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. 189 



the wall from four to six inches long. They will generally be found to con- 

 tain a number of these insects every morning; and by taking out the reeds, 

 you may blow the insects into a basin of hot water. H. W. 



On the CULTIVATION of Balsams. — As your Correspondent, Snowdrop' 

 justly remarks, that St. PATRICK, in page .57, May No. of your Magazine* 

 lias said enough to deter any one from cultivating this lovely Annual; yet 

 Snowdrop, a concise, clear, and caustic writer, treats on this flower as if it 

 were a hardy Annual; the fact is, Balsams require to be sown in a hot bed 

 the commencement of April — if the season is not very favourable, the sowing 

 should be deferred till the latter part of the month, or the first week in May. 

 At the latter period, a hand glass may then be dispensed with. When the 

 plants are sufficiently strong and hardy, they should be transplanted into 

 pots filled with rich loam, and introduced to a stand in a drawing-room ; or, 

 if preferable, transplanted in a bed of rich loam on a south border. My 

 plants never failed by pursuing this system. I hope these remarks will not 

 offend your Correspondents, St. Patrick or Snowdrop, as it is neither ray 

 wish nor intention to do so. Emily; Armstrongs. 



Castlerahan, Ireland, March 2lsl, I83L 





<)n the Culture of the Fichsia in the Open Border. — In reply t" 

 A Constant Subscriber, in Vol. II., page 68, of your useful Magazine, 

 I beg leave to refer him to the excellent Article on the above-named 

 brilliant flower, written by A .Jersey Gardener, page 196 of Vol. I., 

 and he will find in tile said Article, that cutting down the plants in the 

 autumn, as practised by Mr. Sharman, is not so advantageous to it as 

 cutting them close in the beginning of the month of April. I have tried 

 t>"lh ways, and found spring the best season, for the reasons stated by your 

 .ti i.-ey Correspondent. Let A Constant Subscriber bear in memory, that 

 some of the other varieties of this lovely family of plants are of lower 

 growth, and more impatient of cold than the gracilis, and requiring to be 

 mulched around the roots during the severe winter months. The cultivator 

 of this beautiful flower must be under considerable obligation to your Jersey 

 tc. [respondent for his valuable communication. 



Ejiily Armstronge. 



Castlerahan, Ireland, March 2U7, 1832. 



On the Culture of the Auricula. — I collect my compost in the 

 months of July and August. It consists of four barrows of horse-dung, 

 the tame quantity of cow-dung from the fields, one barrow of leaf mould, 

 eight of pasture sods, and one of sand. I lay the whole together, and turn 

 il over three or four times during the winter. It will be ready for use the 

 (•lb. wing May. Edward Edwards. 



On bi.oo.mi.no Auapanthus i misellatus. — I have successfully culti- 

 rated the Agapanthus ninbellatus, for some years, by Hie following treat- 

 ment: — I put my plants under the stage in the greenhouse during the winter 

 months, ,„- ;l ,l rv -,|,ed will serve as well. I give them no water while in this 

 I take them out in the beginning of April, and part them to one 

 stem, then place them in 16-sized pots, (or pots one foot ill diameter,) using 

 a«y vegetable mould with olio part sand. They are then watered to settle 

 the mould, ami plaeed in a warm situation. I water them twice a day in the 

 slimmer months, hut do not stand them in water. Alter they have done 

 flowering, the old stems ari' cut down, and placed in a cold, shady spot till 

 ember, when they are moved to their winter quarters. They will also 

 ■ \ ii turned out into a bed of rii h mould, and plentifully watered! 



Edward Edwards. 



ir. (.in i n I-'i.v.— II by the (ii-,.. n /■'/// \oiir Correspondent, William 

 I 11 in. Hi' h, menus | Ik- smiill green inseel ( Aphis) which so frequently infests 



i If bo I i.i it,, ell aa other flowen , I believe I can Inform aim of a \ery 



simple and ell,, tnal mod,, of destruction; let him water over the heads of 

 the plants, with water m whioh Potasses have been boiled, and unless ho be 



more iiiifiirtiiuati ih.in i nave' been, he »ill find the inserts disappear after 

 iin>t application. I »hould suy, that though the, liquid does nut at all 



