372 THE ELOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 



which is of the greatest consequence towards obtaining rapid growtb, 

 and shading, etc., is more conveniently effected here than elsewhere. 

 During the early part of the summer, the sashes should be shut 

 down early in the afternoon, after moistening the specimens over- 

 head with the syringe, raising them late in the evening ; and on 

 soft, warm nights after the middle of July, the sashes may be left 

 off for the night, exposing the plants to the night dews. A second 

 shift will probably be required about the end of June ; this, how- 

 ever, will depend upon the health of the specimens, etc., and should 

 be given as soon as the pots may be filled with roots, both to pre- 

 vent any check of the growth at this season, and also to get the 

 pots moderately well filled with roots previous to winter. In Sep- 

 tember the plants should be gradually inured to full exposure 

 to sun and air, removing them on the occurrence of cold damp 

 weather or drenching rains, to a light airy part of the greenhouse, 

 and supplying them very carefully with water, especially any recently 

 potted specimens. If the young wood has been properly ripened, 

 an abundant display of blossoms may be obtained at almost any time 

 after November, by removing the plants into a gentle moist heat, 

 but unless the wood has been well matured it will be better to leave 

 them to bloom in the greenhouse. After blooming, cut back the 

 shoots pretty closely, and allow the plants a fortnight's rest in a cool 

 house, giving very little water to the soil ; then remove them to a 

 moist growing temperature, and as soon as they start in growtb shift 

 into pots a size larger, observing the same caution in watering, etc., 

 as directed for last year. As soon as active growth commences, give 

 air more freely, and gradually prepare the plants for removal to the 

 greenhouse, from which they should be removed to a sheltered place 

 out of doors for the summer, but care must be observed not to sud- 

 denly expose them to bright sunshine ; indeed, a situation shaded 

 from the forenoon sun should be afforded them during summer. By 

 using means to check the growth early in autumn, and to get the 

 wood well ripened in September, the plants may be had in bloom 

 most of the winter. The Styphelia requires a soil comprised of 

 prime rich fibry peat, with a sufficient admixture of sharp silver sand, 

 to insure the rapid percolation of water through the mass after the 

 decay of the fibre, and a sprinkling of lumpy charcoal or small 

 potsherds is also useful. 



EMBELLISHMENTS OF THE GARDEN. 



{Continued from page 344.) 



• BTIFICTAL stone is not always to be depended on, for 

 it is sometimes found to consist of common plaster 

 coated with cement. This would not matter provided 

 the duplex material would hold together with the in- 

 tegrity of a homogeneous mass. But it happens that 

 when frost follows long continued rain, the outside cement and the 

 inside plaster expand in different degrees, and when the thaw takes 



