134 MORE POT-POURRI 



mackayi. It does not require much heat, and lasts a 

 long time, either on the plant or in water. It throws up 

 long flowering stems, has a most delicious perfume, is 

 quiet in colour yellowish green and brownish purple 

 and very refined in shape. I find it a most useful 

 plant for the time of year, and we have many more 

 pots than we had, so it is not very difficult to increase. 



In the corner of the greenhouse there is a good group 

 of Poinsettia pulcherrima. Some people say they do not 

 like these rather curious plants. They are useless for 

 putting into water, but I think they look very bright 

 and cheerful on these dark days. They do best if grown 

 every year from cuttings. 



December 19th. We have been more successful this 

 year with the forcing of bulbs Roman Hyacinths and 

 Paper -white Narcissus than ever before, and I think 

 it is a good deal owing to having carefully obeyed the 

 instructions given in a little pamphlet, ' How I came to 

 grow Bulbs,' which I have mentioned before. Mr. Rob- 

 ert Sydenham is as instructive about pot culture as he is 

 about outdoor culture. He gives exactly the information 

 required ; and if this is carefully read there can be no 

 confusion as regards the different treatment required by 

 Narcissi, Tulips, and Hyacinths. A great many nur- 

 serymen profess to sell the Chinese Lily, really a Tazetta 

 Narcissus with a yellow centre, which grows with ex- 

 treme rapidity in bowls of water; but instead of the 

 true thing they often send out the Paper -white Nar- 

 cissus. 



Late though it is, I have been moving pieces of 

 Kerria japonica and planting them against the bare 

 stems of moderate -sized trees. They do admirably, and 

 look so gay and bright in spring. They can be tied to 

 the trunk for support, and the branches of the tree 

 above protect them from spring frosts. They are most 



