804 FLOWER GARDEN. 



temperature, to preclude the evil effects of damp by 

 regular airing in mild, dry weather, and to attend to 

 slight AYatering where it may be needed. 



It is worthy of remark, that many species of green- 

 house plants flourish mutih more luxuriantly, and make 

 a finer appearance when in flower, if planted in the 

 open border during the summer months. Cultivators 

 should therefore diligently propagate such plants by 

 cuttings in pots placed in hotbeds in early spring, so 

 as to have a store for planting out in June. 



Of late years, particular genera of plants have come 

 greatly into vogue, and it would be an omission not 

 to notice some of them. Among the foremost may be 

 mentioned Pelargonium^ with its affinities. The Pelar- 

 goniums are of ^asy culture, being propagated readily 

 by cuttings, and requiring only to be shifted from time 

 to time. Young plants are very liable to be attacked 

 by the aphidion or green-fly. The most effectual cure 

 is tobacco-water (as procured from manufacturers of 

 tobacco, not a mere infusion of tobacco). If the plant 

 be small, it may be dipped into the liquid for a minute 

 or two, not only with impunity, but with great advan-. 

 tage, the insects being thus killed. Equal to these,- in 

 point of beauty of color, and certainly superior in 

 elegance of form, is the family of Cape heaths, or 

 Ericce. Of this genus there are said to be 600 species, 

 considerably more thanth^ half of which exist in our 

 collections. Many heaths may be raised from seed, 

 which occasionally ripens in this country: the most 

 common mode of propagation, however, is by cuttings, 

 and this in same, species is attended with difliculty. 

 'Y^rj small cuttings are . stuck into the purest white 

 sand, and closely covered with bell-glasses. The Erioee 



