64 Domestic Notices. 



Management of the Banksian Rose. — Tlio Banksian rose produces its 

 blossoins upon one-year old wood, and not otherwise. If, as is customary, 

 the pl.int is pruned in the spring, all the flowering wood is removed, and 

 so good bye to blossoms till new wood can be formed. By the autumn, 

 tlie new wood is ready ; but, in the succeeding spring, it is usually cut 

 off again : and in this way the flowering branches are incessantly removed. 

 The proper time for pruning the Banksian rose is midsummer, aller the 

 flowering is over : then new wood is formed abundantly in the latter part 

 of the year ; and when the spring arrives will pour forth its floral treas- 

 ures with the profusion of a prodigal. Now, then, is the season (June 

 25th,) for cutting the branches close back, and we trust our readers will 

 profit by our advice. Mr. Frost finds the stronger the plant is, and the 

 more young wood is laid on after midsummer-priming, the finer will be 

 the bloom, for there will be a cluster of roses on the end of every shoot 

 that starts from tlie bosom of the leaves. — (Id. 1842, p. 420.) 



Summer Pruning of fruit trees. — We have received from Mr. Bowers, 

 of Laleharn, specimens of pear tree shoots in different stages of advance- 

 ment towards fructification, to show the beneficial results produced by his 

 system of management, from whicli it is apparent that the practice of 

 breaking down the shoots instead of wholly removing them, is a good 

 one. It is particularly applicable to strong growing trees, and, in conjunc- 

 tion with root-pruning in autumn, will, no doubt, as Mr. Bowers observes, 

 restore trees to fruitfulness where the prevalent system of summer-prun- 

 ing has entirely failed. The shoots of these may be broken down within 

 two or three inches of their base, so as to preserve about one fourth of 

 their substance in connexion witli the tree. He likewise removes half 

 the strong downward-growing roots the first season, and tlie other half 

 the next one, which he finds to be suflicient root-pruning for several 

 years ; but the summer treatment he repeats until the trees are reduced 

 to a fruitful state.— (/rf. 1842, p. 494.) 



Gooseberry caterpillars. — Quick lime mixed witli the earth in the spring 

 of the year, under each gooseberry bush, will completely destroy this in- 

 sect.— fM 1842, p. 494.) 



Effects of Guano and JVitrate of Soda. — With a view of trying the 

 effects of guano and nitrate of soda, I selected three plants of /mpatiens 

 granduligera (a species of balsam) of equal growth, and planted them in 

 similar sized pots as follows : — One in sandy loam and leaf mould, with 

 dung, the remains of an old cucumber bed; a second in the same soil, 

 adding about a dessert-spoonful of nitrate of soda on the surface ; and a 

 third in equal parts of the former soil and pure sandy loam, adding about a 

 table-spoonful or more of guano. They were placed in similar situations. 

 The plant in the cucumber soil is much the largest, being upwards of G 

 feet high, but its wood is very long jointed. That in the guano is about 

 4 feet high, much more compact, of a deeper green, and its foliage much 

 smaller than the others. That with nitrate of soda grew more slowly than 

 either of its companions, and is not materially different in appearance 

 from that in the cucumber soil, except that its leaf is smaller, and the 

 plant more compact. The flowers of that planted in guano, as far as they 

 have yet expanded, are much smaller and deeper colored than those of 

 No. 1. I may mention that if there be any difference in their situations in 

 regard to light, No. 1 is most ftvorable, so that its tendency to draw does 

 not arise from that cause. — (Id. 1842, p. 494). 



