280 General Notices. 



ing completed, the plants should be arranged as near to the glass as pos- 

 sible, and sufficient space allowed between plant and plant for the free cir- 

 culation of air, and the admission of light. The house to be kept close 

 for two or three weeks, until the plants had begun to make fresh roots, 

 except on bright days, when air should be given in the early part of the 

 day. No artificial heat to be given, except the weather was severe, and, 

 in that case, the temperature not to rise more than from 40 to 45 de- 

 grees Fahrenheit. The plants were to be syringed on those mornings 

 when the sun was shining, as it would assist the plants considerably in 

 the commencement of their growth. As the plants advanced in growth, 

 great attention was to be paid to the stopping of the leading shoots, for, if 

 neglected at this period, it would be a task of great difficulty to bring them 

 to their proper form, and at the expense of the plants at a future time. Sta- 

 king would be requisite to some degree, but should be dispensed with as 

 much as possible, for the number of stakes sometimes used not only have 

 an unsightly appearance, but also a tendency to injure the roots. By the 

 latter end of June, or the beginning of July, the plants were to be again 

 shifted — those in small forty-eights into small thirty-twos, and those in large 

 forty-eights into large thirty-twos, or small twenty-fours, according to the 

 state of the roots. At this season, he recommended syringing, both morn- 

 ing and evening, as it not only assisted considerably the growth of the 

 plants, but also preserved them from the attacks of insects, such as the 

 thrip and red spider. The best method of hardening the plants was by 

 leaving the house open all night, so that the plants might have all the air 

 possible, without being exposed to all the influences of the weather, such 

 as heavy rains, which are injurious to the health and appearance of the 

 plants. During the winter, the greatest attention was to be paid to the 

 watering, particularly in not giving too much. Dryness was also to be 

 guarded against, for, if such plants as Boronia serrulata, Styphelia tubi- 

 flora, &c., were allowed to get too dry, he considered it a task of impossi- 

 bility to restore them. Air was to be given on mild dry days freely, but 

 the house kept closed on wet and foggy days. The plants to be carefully 

 cleaned, and all damp or decayed leaves removed as soon as possible after 

 their appearance. Stirring up the surface of the soil was essentially neces- 

 sary for the admission and cirwilation of air to the roots; also for the equal 

 distribution of water. By the beginning of March, the plants were to be 

 transferred to pots sufficiently large for their growth the ensuing season — 

 twelves or sixteens, acxjording to the size of the plant ; these he considered 

 quite large enough in a general collection. Larger might be used in some 

 instances with advantage, but not to any extent, for such large pots were, 

 from their unsightly appearance, decidedly objectionable. In potting the 

 plants, the greatest attention was to be paid to the drainage ; he considered 

 two inches sufficient ; this was to be prepared in the same manner as rec- 

 ommended for the first shifting. After the plants were potted, all the old 

 stakes were to be taken out, and the plants rettaked and tied in the neatest 

 manner possible. They were then to be watered moderately, to settle the 

 soil equally, and to be kept close for a week or a fortnight, after which time 



