376 Notes and Gleanings. 



Habrothamnus Berries. — Grown on a pillar in a conservatory, //<?^/-<?- 

 thajuniis elegans blooms freely from the autumn onwards, and, during winter, 

 matures its large and beautiful clusters of rich rosy violet-colored fruit, which 

 equal in size those of the Black Cluster or Verdelho grapes, and prove it to be 

 most useful for decoration at a season when flowers and fruit for decorative 

 purposes are extremely valuable. 



The Cultivation of Passiflora laurifolia, or Water- Lemon. — 



This fruit, which is becoming popular, is of very easy culture. 



Supposing that you have a plant well established in a six-inch pot, say in 

 January, shift it at once into a twelve-inch pot, and place it in a stove where there 

 is a bottom-heat of 80° and a top heat of 65°. If all go on favorably, the plant 

 will be well established by March : and then comes the final shift, which must 

 be into a box or tub three feet in diameter, two feet six inches deep, and provided 

 with good drainage; or, still better, into a bed suited for pines. The soil which 

 1 tind best is good turfy loam, rough peat, and silver sand in equal parts. Train 

 the branches upwards to the roof, along the lightest part of it, and as near the 

 glass as practicable. Let the laterals hang down from the roof, and they will 

 grow, and produce flowers very freely by July. Tiiese must be impregnated with 

 the pollen of Passiflora cancica, or some other common kind, as their own will 

 not fertilize. The plant will require abundance of water at the root ; and, if this 

 be supplied, the fruit will swell very rapidly, and be ripe in about six weeks. 



The fruit has a very pretty appearance ; being about the size of a hen's egg, 

 and in color of a bright yellow. Of the flavor 1 cannot say much, as it is rather 

 inferior, like that of most other tropical fruits. The plant will continue fruiting 

 until December, when it should be kept rather dry at the root, and in the tem- 

 perature of a pine-stove. About the first week in March, give a good watering 

 at the root, which will excite the plant into growth again, and the flowers will 

 soon appear, and continue all the summer. 



How to grow Phloxes. — To have phloxes in the finest possible condi- 

 tion, they must not be planted out in the borders, and left to their fate ; but they 

 must have some cultural attention. Tlie following course of treatment may be 

 recommended : — 



In February, pot a few plants in light, rich, loamy soil, and place them in a 

 greenhouse or frame. They will soon make shoots long enough for cuttings ; 

 and these can be quickly rooted in a moderate hot-bed, with verbenas or other 

 bedding-plants ; and, after being properly potted and hardened off, they will be 

 fit to plant out in May. 



In selecting a situation for planting out, a spot where there is a little shelter 

 from strong winds is to be preferred ; but otherwise it should be fully exposed to 

 all the air and sunshine. The soil should be enriched with some good rotten 

 manure ; and, when the plants get strong, they should be liberally watered with 

 liquid manure. They should be planted about fifteen inches apart for the first 

 season's blooming, which will commence about August, and continue till the end 

 of September; but, in the ensuing spring, they should be replanted, placing them 



