General Notices. 265 



To induce greater fertility in the plant to which these remarks refer, aa 

 artificial soil should be prepared in equal portions of old light garden loam, 

 heath mould, and well washed river or silver sand, and well incorporated with 

 finely broken brick refuse, equal to one third of the whole amount. Thus 

 treated, it forms a very beautiful object, either for edging or in the parterre, 

 and when seen expanding its bright blossoms for successive weeks, it ap- 

 pears as one of the few objects of which it may be remarked, that it has 

 " few equals and no superiors." In common with some others, this inter- 

 esting plant is much degenerated by the inferior varieties from seed which 

 have almost supplanted the original species, the former being much less 

 compact in their growth, and less brilliant in their flowers. The latter is 

 known by its leaves, being not more than from two to three inches in 

 length, and by its flowers being uniformly circular, and firm in their texture, 

 varying from bright to darker shades of rose color, and, when found in 

 favorable situations, the profusion of bloom almost covers the foliage. 

 ( Gard. Chron, 1846, p. 284 ) 



Drainage of Pots. — Almost every body who writes on growing plants in 

 pots recommends good drainage ; but how this is to be effected, and of 

 what sized materials the drainage is to be composed, is seldom mentioned. 

 Now, as the health of the plant in a great measure depends on the free 

 circulation of water through the soil, it is essential that the strictest atten- 

 tion be observed in the formation of drainage. The materials for this pur- 

 pose should be perfectly dry and free from dust, whether these be crocks, 

 charcoal, or sandstone ; they should be broken into different sizes, each size 

 being placed separately by itself ; thus, if I were using three-inch pots, 1 

 should first clean the pot well inside, if required, then place a piece of 

 crock at the bottom, nearly as large as will cover it, but concave so as to 

 allow the water free egress ; on this I would place a layer of broken crocks, 

 or other material, about the size of beans, and on this again a slight layer 

 about the size of peas. And when I used pots of a larger size, I would 

 use larger pieces, always keeping the coarsest at the bottom and the small- 

 est at the top, and, with few exceptions, the plants will be benefited by 

 placing a thin layer of turfy loam or peat over the drainage, as this keeps 

 the smaller particles of earth from being carried down among the drainage. 

 Although there is no fear of the drainage being impaired, if properly con- 

 structed, yet, to make doubly sure, let each pot be crocked as regularly as 

 possible, one having no more drainage than another, so that in the next 

 shift each may get the same proportion of soil as well as drainage. Pieces 

 of sandstone mixed with the soil are very useful in drainage for hard-wood- 

 ed plants, as are also pieces of charcoal and bone-dust for soft-wooded 

 ones ; in either case, the roots will be found closely adhering to these 

 lumps. There are many gardeners who say, " I have no time to attend to 

 such a routine of breaking and layering ;" but crocks do not spoil by being 

 broken and sorted in the coldest day in winter, nor yet if done in wet 

 weather, when nothing can be done out of doors. The different sizes may 

 be placed in large pots, and put somewhere out of the way, where they 

 will be dry until the crocks are wanted for use, which is generally in spring 

 VOL. XII. NO. VII. 34 



