Domestic Notices. 231 



specimens in the following spring. Supposing that the plants have stood 

 the winter without injury, about the 20th of March numerous young leaves 

 will have formed around the centre of the crown of the plants — an evidence 

 that winter has relaxed her dormant embrace, and is giving way to the 

 softening and life-invigorating influence of spring. The season has now 

 arrived when the plants are to be shifted into pots in which they are to 

 flower, and as they will have to be moved from place to place, the pots 

 should not be larger than one man can conveniently carry when filled with 

 soil. Let the compost be one third well-rotted and dry hot-bed dung, put 

 through a coarse sieve ; one third turfy loam after being laid up 12 months 

 to dry and decompose ; and one third sand ; let these be well mixed to- 

 gether, have ready a quantity of lime-rubbish, about the size of filberts or 

 walnuts ; let the pot be well drained, then over the drainage place a layer 

 of the lime-rubbish, then the soil, on which place the plant with the ball 

 entire, and as you proceed to fill up the pot let handfuls of the lime-rubbish 

 be scattered round it with the soil. Give the pot an occasional shake, to 

 settle the soil equally. It should be remembered that a day or two before 

 this final shifting, the plant ought to be copiously watered, to thoroughly 

 wet the ball, after remaining so long in a dry state, and great attention 

 should be paid to free the soil from worms ; if they are not excluded, our 

 labor will have been in vain, or at least greatly counteracted. The plants 

 should now be placed in a cold frame, and the lights should be kept close, 

 admitting a little air when the sun shines, with an occasional watering over- 

 head to produce vigorous growth. When the stem has grown 4 or 5 inches 

 in height, the plant should be removed to the greenhouse, or what is much 

 better, to a late vinery, where fires are seldom used. The shade and the 

 proper treatment of the vines in a house of this description, are admirably 

 adapted for the vigorous growth and elongation of the flower-stem ; when 

 it has attained its greatest height, the plant should gradually be exposed to 

 more light, which will give strength to the stem, and color to the blossom, 

 and if circumstances have been favorable, it will excite the admiration of 

 everybody. [Gard. Chronicle, 1845, p. 224.) 



Art. II. Domestic Notices. 



Premium for the discovery of the disease of the Potato. — The American 

 Agricultural Association, of New York, passed the following resolution, at 

 their meeting, on the 5th of May : — 



Resolved, That this Association offer a liberal premium for a series of 

 investigations into the nature and origin of the disease of the Potato, to be 

 made under the conditions imposed by the Executive Committee. 



The Executive Committee, therefore, offer, under the preceding resolution, 

 a premium of $ 50 for the best investigations made during the ensuing sea- 



