of Plants, in Charcoal. 251 



parls of haves of various plants, some of which were the fol- 

 lowing; — Lophospermum scandens, Cyclamen indicum, *Sin- 

 ningm guttata, gloxinias, ipomaeas, Stc. &c. 



It will be seen that many slow rooting plants have been 

 more speedily rooted than by the ordinary method of propa- 

 gation, and we trust that future experiments, conducted with 

 care, by our amateur gardeners, will show more particularly 

 its results. 



^Application of charcoal as a mixture with earth. — The suc- 

 cess which attended M. Lucas in his mode of inserting cut- 

 tings in charcoal, induced him to try it for another purpose, 

 viz., using it as a mixture with various sorts of earth. It 

 here also showed its extraordinary effects, by the luxuriance 

 and more perfect development of the plants; it was particu- 

 larly the case with tuberous rooted plants. 



A bed appropriated to the growth of seedling plants in 

 pots, plunged in charcoal, was cleaned out and made ready 

 for the reception of a lot of arums, begonias, gloxinias, &c.: 

 the pots were plunged in the charcoal to the rim, and the sur- 

 face of the soil covered with loose mould from a dung bed. 

 These tubers soon shot up vigorously, but owing to the frame 

 being wanted where it was intended to remove them in the 

 summer, they were allowed to remain. The plants absorbed a 

 great deal, and needed water every day. When the pots were 

 taken up in the fall, it was found that the roots had grown over 

 and under the pots, and penetrated into the charcoal, and grown 

 so strong that it was absolutely necessary to replant the tubers 

 in larger pots. Charcoal was of course mixed with earth in 

 repotting, in the proportion of rather more than one half. 

 Every plant soon showed extraordinary luxuriance under this 

 treatment; some were particularly rich in the inflorescence, 

 the foliage darker, and the period of the duration of the flow- 

 ers unusually long. Some small tubers, from which no flow- 

 ers were expected the first year, flowered beautifully. Some 

 Cacti grew beautifully, and several of the Mexican euphor- 

 bias showed great vigor. 



The application of charcoal for the cure of sickly trees, 

 was not less successful. M. Lucas states that an orange tree 

 with yellow leaves, having had a layer of charcoal laid on, 

 after the surface soil was removed, soon recovered its vigor; 

 and this was also the case with gardenias. Of the quantity to 

 be used, there is no particular rule: half charcoal may be 



