554 General Notices. 



decaying leaves as they appear. When the flower-stems begin to elongate 

 they should be pegged or tied out, so as to keep the specimens open for the 

 admission of light and air, and manure-water will be highly beneficial at 

 this stage. When the plants are in flower they should occupy an airy 

 place, where they will receive abundance of light without being exposed to 

 the full force of the forenoon's sun ; but this applies only to plants flowering 

 after the sun becomes powerful in spring. Those blossoming in winter, 

 like full exposure to the little sunshine and light which can then be afforded 

 them. Where specimens are wished to flower in winter, cuttings should 

 be selected about April, planted in light sandy soil, placed in a temperature 

 of about 55°, and grown as freely as possible during the summer and autumn, 

 and allowed to become pot bound towards November, when, if placed in a 

 temperature of about 50°, they will be found to flower freely, and will be 

 exceedingly useful for furnishing cut flowers. Seeds sown in April, pro- 

 duce useful plants for winter flowering, as they grow more vigorously 

 during the summer. When the beauty of the specimens is over, remove 

 the flower stems, unless seed is Avanted, and then only a few spikes need 

 be left. Place the plants in a shady situation, and keep them clear of in- 

 sects and properly supplied with water until a supply of suckers is obtained, 

 when the old plants may be thrown away. Good fresh turfy loam, in the 

 proportion of two parts to one of two years old cow-dung, well intermixed 

 with a quantity of clean sharp sand, according to the nature of the loam, 

 to ensure efficient drainage, forms an excellent compost for the cineraria. 

 For small plants, leaf soil or sandy peat may be substituted for the cow- 

 dung.— ( Gard. airon., 1852, p. 727.) 



PojipoNE Chrysanthemums. — I have a plant of R^noncule, in a 12-inch 

 pot, upwards of four feet through, and three feet high, and it has more than 

 five hundred expanded and expanding flowers on it. It is also well clothed 

 with healthy green foliage. This is the gem of all the pompones which I 

 have seen. It is a free flowerer, and the blossoms are as double as those 

 of the most double daisy. — [Gard. Chron., 1852, p. 727.) 



The Epiphyllum. — Many of the varieties of this genus deserve to be 

 classed with the most beautiful and useful of ornamental plants ; for under 

 proper treatment their showy blossoms are produced very abundantly ; and 

 where it is desirable, they may be had in flower nearly the whole year 

 round. Their culture, although simple, appears to be imperfectly under- 

 stood by many, and others seem to esteem these truly interesting plants as 

 worthy of no more attention than suffices to keep them alive. 



They are increased by cuttings or by grafting; the latter method is 

 adopted in the case of weak growing kinds, like the varieties of truncatum, 

 which are supposed by many to flourish best when grafted on some strong- 

 growing stock. I, however, prefer rooted plants of truncatum as well as of 

 others, when dwarf, handsome specimens are wanted. 



Select strong, firm pieces of the young wood for cuttings ; for, although 

 any part will emit roots, young shoots will be found to form the best plants. 

 Lay the cuttings in a dry place, exposed to the sun for a day or two before 

 planting, witli a view to dry up the superfluous moisture. Insert them 



