GENERAL REVIEW. 



and may be either worked by cleft-grafting on the collar of the 

 root, or at standard height, by flute or fork grafting; in the 

 latter case a scion having a terminal bud is best. 



THE POND-WEED FAMILY (Juncaginacea). 



A small group of marshy or aquatic plants, principally 

 natives of Europe, Asia, the Cape of Good Hope, North and 

 Central America. They are represented in our gardens by the 

 Northern Pond -Weeds Potamogeton, the Cape Aponogeton, 

 and the Lattice - leaf of Madagascar, Onvirandra. The last- 

 named is one of the most interesting and curious of all dwarf- 

 growing stove aquatics, just as the Cape Pond- Weed Aponogeton 

 is one of the prettiest and most fragrant of hardy plants. 

 Seeds are ripened very freely on the Ouvirandra when 

 thoroughly - established specimens, and these, if allowed to 

 ripen and fall into the tepid water of the tank or bell-glass, 

 ultimately sink to the surface of the soil or mud and germinate 

 readily. This plan of self-seeding also takes place wherever 

 the Aponogeton luxuriates in a shallow pond margin or ditch 

 out of doors, or indoors in the conservatory aquarium. There 

 are two or three distinct forms of this plant the major and 

 minor varieties being most distinct in cultivation in a shallow 

 ditch of clear running water in a nursery at Tooting, and hun- 

 dreds of healthy little seedling plants line the sides of the 

 shallow stream, while the older plants flower all through the 

 mild winter and spring months. In the gardens at Fota, Cork 

 Harbour, Aponogeton is naturalised in the pond, and thousands 

 of seedlings spring up naturally, and these flower very freely 

 and keep up a succession of bloom. Careful division may be 

 resorted to in the case of Aponogeton or Potamogeton, care being 

 taken to keep the divided portions moist ; and they must be 

 returned to their watery element as rapidly as possible, so as to 

 increase the chances of success. 



THE DEAD-NETTLE FAMILY (Labiatea). 



We have here a large group of annuals, herbaceous plants, or 

 under-shrubs, principally natives of temperate countries, where 

 they usually affect dry and airy situations rather than woods 

 or marshes. They possess fragrant and aromatic qualities, 

 Peppermint, Lavender-water, Patchouli, being familiar manu- 

 factured examples of their products. In our gardens they 

 are represented by the ensuing genera : Ocimum (Basil), 



