228 General Notices. 



pose ; no doubt that may answer, but it must look unsightly in a well kept 

 garden. The plan which I have adopted is to purchase some of the very 

 commonest white cotton thread, which can be had very cheap at any draper's 

 shop, and to run it all over the trees from branch to branch, making it to 

 resemble net-work. This of course affords no real covering to the trees, 

 but the showy entangled appearance of such a number of threads scares 

 away all birds, until the buds are so far advanced as to be safe from their 

 attacks ; it is generally known that they commit all the mischief they effect 

 in one or two days, and that at a time when the buds have swelled to 

 a certain size. I therefore never put my protecting material in operation 

 until shortly before I expect they would commence their depredations. If 

 it were applied much before that time, tlreir sagacity would discover its 

 harmless character, and its purpose would be defeated. — [Card. Chron., 

 1852, p. 181.) 



Culture of the Pelargonium. — We have been favored with a copy 

 of Mr. Dobson's excellent pamphlet on the cultivation of this flower. It 

 proves, as we expected it would, one of the best guides which can possibly 

 be put into the hands of a beginner. To general directions, given in a 

 concise, straightforward, and practical manner, it adds a calendar of ope- 

 rations suited for every month in the year. Such treatises from persons 

 qualified to teach, cannot fail to effect much good ; and that Mr. Dobson is 

 capable of giving sound instructions no one who has had the good fortune 

 to see his plants at our great metropolitan exhibitions will for a moment 

 doubt. He has long been a very successful exhibitor, and therefore all 

 who wish to grow the pelargonium well, either for show or for the home 

 stage, cannot do better than follow his directions. The following paragraph 

 relating to the treatment of specimen plants for March, will give some idea 

 of the way in which the different subjects are treated : — " All plants that 

 are intended to flower in July will require stopping back the second week 

 in this month. Keep the house rather close for a few days ; this will help 

 them to push forth their eyes. When their eyes are prominent, give air at 

 all opportunities, by opening early in the morning, and shutting up early in 

 the afternoon — say 3 or 4 o'clock, according to circumstances ; carefully 

 avoiding all easterly winds. Draw the syringe over the plants once or 

 twice a week after shutting up, with plenty of sunlight and warmth. The 

 May plants will be fast showing their trusses. In watering, give sufficient 

 to moisten tiie whole ball of earth." As regards liquid manure Mr. Dobson 

 says : — " Begin in February to water with weak manure water once or 

 twice a week ; one peck of sheep, and half a peck of cow-dung, to about 

 25 or 30 gallons of water, is the only stimulant I use." In order to make 

 this intelligible, however, it will be necessary to state the kind of soil Mr. 

 Dobson employs, which is the top spit full of fibre off a meadow, mixed 

 with one-third green stable dung thoroughly incorporated and laid up in a 

 heap for about two years, and well chopped over during winter. When 

 ready for use he says, before potting, " mix up with the loam four shovels 

 of rotten cow-dung, the older the better, to one barrowful of mould ; to this 

 add an 8-inch potfiil of silver sand." Such is the kind of material out of 



