COM 



C O N 



Composts for different curious sorts may be 

 formed in the following manner: 



For auriculas; — of light earth from pasture- 

 ground, the top spit with the sward, and neat's 

 dung, of each about an equal portion, and about 

 half the quantity of drift or sea-sand, and, when 

 it can be had, a little rotten willow earth, 

 or any rotten earthy wood, or old rotten tan or 

 saw-dust, forming the whole into a heap for se- 

 veral months, turning it over several times at in- 

 tervals. This Compost is also proper for fine 

 carnations, ranunculuses, and anemones: these 

 flowers, however, often blow equally well in 

 common, rich, light, garden earth. 



For hyacinths; — composts formed of neat's 

 dung and drift sand, of each an equal portion, 

 and half the quantity of old rotten tan, are very 

 useful. Where it can be easily procured, the same 

 portion of rotten leaves of trees, or a little more 

 rotten bark, and a proportionate quantity of light 

 earth from a pasture or garden, may be used, the 

 whole being mixed in a heap, to lie at least a year, 

 giving it frequent turnings; but if it remains in 

 the heap fifteen or eighteen months it will be the 

 better. See the Culture of different Plants. 



In Composts where sand is employed, sea or 

 drift sand is to be preferred ; and in Composts 

 where rotten, ligneous, earthy substances are re- 

 quisite, that of rotten willow-trees is the best; or 

 old rotten tanner's bark may be substituted, as a 

 proper ingredient. 



Composts should constantly be formed in an 

 open exposure, free to the influence of the sun, 

 air, rains, frosts, &c. and the ingredients be 

 made in a heap, rather extended in length, 

 like a ridge, about a yard or four feet in thick- 

 ness, being turned over frequently, and the bot- 

 tom thrown to the top, that all the parts may be 

 well mixed, and equally participate of the influ- 

 ence of the sun and other causes. 



These composts, when used, should not be 

 screened, except for some particular purposes, 

 which are mentioned, being only broken fine with 

 the spade and hands, as when fine-screened, or 

 sifted, they become too compact for the roots of 

 plants to spread and extend themselves in. 



COMPTONIA, a genus which contains an 

 ornamental plant of the tree kind. 



It belongs to the class and order Movoecia 

 Triandria. 



The characters are : that in the male flowers 

 thecalyxis acylindric ament, loosely imbricate all 

 round with concave, kidney-form, acuminate, 

 oaducous, one-flowered scales : perianthium two- 

 leaved : leaflets equal, boat-shaped, shorter than 

 the scale of the ament: there is no corolla: the 

 stamina consist of three filaments, shorter than 



the calyx, forked : anthers six, two-valved. In 

 the female flowers the calyx is an ovate ament, 

 closely imbricate all round with one-flowered 

 scales, as in the male : perianthium six-leaved: 

 leaflets opposite in pairs, filiform, membrana- 

 ceous at the base, many times longer than the 

 scale of the ament: there is no corolla: the 

 pistillum is a roundish germ: styles two, capil- 

 lary : there is no pericarpiutn : the seed is an 

 oval nut, one-celled, valveless. 



The species cultivated is C.dsphnijoUa, Fern- 

 leaved Comptonia. 



It rises with slender shrubby stalks, near three 

 feet high; they are hairy, and divide into several 

 slender branches. The leaves arc from three to 

 four inches long, and half an inch broad, alter- 

 natelv indented (or sinuated) almost to the mid- 

 rib ; they are of a dark green, hairy on their 

 under side, and sit close to the stalks. It is a 

 native of North America, flowering here from 

 March to May. 



Culture. — This plant is propagated either by 

 seeds or layers. In the former method the seeds 

 should be sown about an inch deep in a bed of 

 light earth in the spring season, and the plants 

 will appear the following year, when they should 

 be kept clear from weeds, and have occasional 

 waterings in dry weather. 



In the latter mode the young summer shoots 

 should be laid in autumn in the slit method of 

 laying, and when well rooted they may be 

 taken off and planted out. 



These plants are hardy, and capable of suc- 

 ceeding in almost any soil. They are intro- 

 duced for variety in the shrubbery and other 

 parts of ornamented grounds. 



CONSERVATORY, a place constructed 

 somewhat in the manner of the green-house, 

 but more spacious and elevated, and finished in 

 a neater and more perfect way, being designed, 

 for containing and preserving the more rare and 

 curious sorts of plants, as well as for affording 

 amusement by being provided with walks laid 

 with some sort of neat material, according to the 

 taste of the proprietor, in a serpentine or other 

 irregular manner between the plants. 



Houses of this nature should have dry and ra- 

 ther elevated situations, at a small distance from 

 the residence, and be ranged in such a manner 

 as to have the benefit of the sun as much as 

 possible during the day. They must likewise be 

 provided with flues, for the purpose of commu- 

 nicating fire heat when it may be necessary, and 

 also valves and other contrivances for the intro- 

 duction of fresh air when wanted, and to afford 

 due ventilation. 



The sides, ends, and roofs, must be formed 



