Notes and Gleanings. 1 1 1 



little, do not be afraid to keep them out of the ground until you have a favorable 

 opportunity. When planting, open the place where the bulb is to be ; put in a 

 little light soil, with a considerable quantity of silver sand, and plant the crown 

 of the bulb about three inches below the surface. Let the space between the 

 bulbs be about a foot each way. You will lose nothing by giving them plenty of 

 room : it is more easy to go amongst them. Of course, you may plant them 

 more thickly if you are pressed for room. 



After-Cultivation. — Keep all clear of weeds. If the weather is dry for a long 

 time, give copious waterings : they are of great value. Top-dress if you think 

 your soil is not good enough. The effect of shading has not been much tried : 

 I am incUned to think, if judiciously managed, it would be of great advantage. 

 Tie up the flower-stems by placing stakes, and then weaving list in and out 

 amongst them. 



Propagation. — You will generally obtain, although not always, an increase 

 of large bulbs, some breaking into two or three : but this cannot be expected 

 from small bulbs ; and, indeed, some large-sized ones never break, and only one 

 large corm is again formed over the old one. Where there is an increase in the 

 small fry, what is done with them must depend on the sorts, and the desire to 

 increase stock. If it is a scarce or good variety, my plan is, immediately on 

 taking the bulbs up, to separate the young bulbs, and at once plant them in 

 small pots, using good light soil, and keep them in a cold pit during the winter. 

 This gives them a great advantage, and insures, I think, their starting. If the 

 kind is a common one, and yet increase is wished for, then keep the young bulbs, 

 and sow them in drills, in the spring, like onions ; and, if no increase is desired, 

 simply cut them off, and throw them away. 



Aquilegia FORMOSA. — Several years ago. I received from an English seeds- 

 man a packet of seed, marked with the formidable name, Aquilegia fonnosa 

 violacea plena. Of the seedlings which resulted; only one was handsome enough 

 to be worth keeping. This answered to the name, being perfectly double, and 

 of a clear violet-color. It was, moreover, very symmetrical. I sowed all the 

 seed which it produced, and obtained more than a hundred young plants. These 

 flowered in due time. The greater part were like the parent, and equally hand- 

 some ; but others showed an interesting diversity. Some were of a deep black- 

 ish purple, two or three were of a pure white, several were flesh-colored, and 

 others of a light purple. The form was in every case similar to that of the 

 parent, and often quite perfect. I have no doubt that the best specimens of 

 each color, planted apart from the rest, will produce seedlings of the same shape 

 and color. At all events, I shall try the experiment. F. P. 



Magnolia Seedlings. — It may be worth while to note the time of bloom- 

 ing of magnolias raised from seed. M. macrophylla, sown six years ago and 

 twice transplanted, is now four feet high, and just coming into flower (June 12), 

 with one large bud to each plant. M. glatica, sown at the same time, is four 

 feet high, and covered with flower-buds. M. tripetala, also six years old, from 

 seed, is ten feet high, and bears six or eight large blossoms. P"- P- 



