154 Domestic J^otices. 



the space of more than two years. We have also noticed, with 

 frequent pleasure, a considerable collection of several beautiful ex- 

 otic species, cultivated in a glazed case, and constituting not only an 

 attractive object, but the easy means of watching the habits of these 

 interesting, but neglected plants. — J. L. R. 



Cultivation of Auriculas. — Mr. Editor: — Did we not once see a 

 collection of seedling auriculas, of your raising, some of consider- 

 able merit.'' A treatise on your own mode of culture and treatment, 

 from the sowing to the bloom, would be gratefully received, through 

 the pages of your Magazine, by an admirer of those plants. We 

 have English disquisitions in plenty, on this head, but we want some- 

 thing nearer home; so that others, like yourself, can perchance raise 

 a good American variety. — Yours, A True Yankee. 



Two Annuals not commonly seen in collections. — Centaurda muri- 

 cata \Y., {Loudon^ s Encyclopedia, pi., p. 738.) Flowers rosy purple, 

 neutral ray exterior, fine parted, two upper shorter; central florets, 

 yellowish white, anthers bluish; peduncle very long channeled, fur- 

 nished with an occasional bracte, simple, spiny like the calyx; leaves 

 lyrate-piiinate, upper lanceolate toothed. July, August. Very 

 pretty; slightly scented like C. moschata, for which its flower might 

 be mistaken, being intermediate in form and size between that and 

 the blue bottle, (C. cyaneus.) Native of Levant. In 1838, a seed 

 of this rare plant was found in a box of raisins, and sown in an 

 unfavorable situation, producing inferior flowers. From these, how- 

 ever, very large and fine plants were raised last summer, which 

 were no mean addition to the flower border. 



(Scorpiurus sulcatus VV., (Loudon's Encyclopedia, 10518.) A small, 

 reddish-yellow flowering papilionaceous plant, with curious prickly 

 and crooked pods; of a prostrate habit, and rather pretty. South 

 of Europe. From seed found among raisins. This little plant may 

 be ranked among those singular species of medicagos called snails, 

 and the like, once cultivated as curiosities. From the structure of 

 the seed-pod of this, the generic name is suggested, literally, a scor- 

 pion's tail. — J. L. R., Chelmsford, 1841. 



Cultivation of Plants in rootns, particularly the Camellia. — Sir: 

 I think your useful Magazine might be made more acceptable to am- 

 ateur florists, if your remarks upon floriculture would apply more 

 to parlor cultivation, and its circulation be much extended. The 

 information wanted, is, how plants are to be managed in the dry 

 hot air of the parlor, so as to cause them to flower; and the only 

 way to get that information is, to send it into the parlors, and re- 

 quest some of your fair readers to impart the knowledge they have 

 gained by experience. It is generally understood that the double 

 white camellia cannot be made to flower in the parlor, when the 

 thermometer is between 60° and 70°: if that is true, it may as well 

 be given up at once. I intend to try once more. By a great deal of 

 care, in watering the top of the plant very often, I nearly succeeded 

 in flowering one: the buds did not fall oft", but as soon as they open- 

 ed, the {)etals dropped. Another season, I shall try a plan which, I 

 am told, has answered the purpose of causing them to flower; it is 

 this, — tie a ])iece of cotton batting or sponge round the stem, just 

 below the l)ud, and keep it constantly wet, which will prevent the 

 bud from drying so as to cause it to fail off. If this will answer the 



