The Canadian HoRxicaLxuRisx. 183 



" When once planted, will live and increase every year;" true as gospel. " Beau- 

 tiful as a pot plant ; " well, yes, after mature reflection, I concede that a pot is the 

 only safe and suitable place for it, and to make matters doubly sure, after it has 

 been carefully potted in rich loamy soil, slightly mixed with bone dust, pitch the 

 plant, pot and all, into a roaring furnace, in case you should not have a lime-kiln 

 in full blast in the vicinity. 



vSY. Fereol de Ponsondy, Que., May ist. F. Lance. 



Care of Oxalis. — The oxalis need never be cut down for lack of bloom- 

 ing capacity, for it will bloom on and on. But common sense teaches that if 

 permitted to do so, it must in time exhaust itself. Therefore in May or June 

 when turning some of the window plants out into the borders, and laying away 

 others to rest a season, cut off all the leaf stems of the oxalis close to the earth ; 

 let the earth thoroughly dry for a week or two, then turn the whole out upon a 

 newspaper and search the earth carefully, saving not only the old bulbs but all 

 the tiny new ones. Three old bulbs may in one season throw out from two to 

 four or more bulbs each ; some of them may not be larger than half a pea. Old 

 and new may be rolled in tissue paper and laid away in a dry place (so they may 

 not sprout, as they will do in a moist spot) to remain until September. But as 

 the young bulbs not having worked need no rest, my experience teaches that 

 their season of blooming may be expedited and improved by setting them out in 

 new earth and allowing the foliage (nip off the buds for five months) to put forth, 

 and the bulbs to attain larger growth for winter blooming. If one saves, as he 

 should, all the oxalis bulbs, he ought in a year or two to have enough of all 

 varieties to have them divided into two distinct sets, winter and summer bloom- 

 ers, thus giving each a season of rest. The summer bloomers may be set in the 

 rockeries or in hanging baskets on the balconies. The earth should be fairly 

 rich, and the bulbs covered to not more than the depth of half an inch. Set in 

 a light place, but they do not like too hot a sunlight. — F. H. 



A Beautiful Hedge. — For an ornamental deciduous hedge almost any- 

 where there is nothing to surpass it, if to equal, the Japan Quince (Cydonia 

 japonica.) There are a number of deciduous plants that make pretty hedges, 

 but the most of them are difficult to form and troublesome to keep in good shape 

 and order. The Cydonia is almost entirely free from these objections, provided 

 only that young plants be used to start with. What a lovely sight it is when in 

 bloom, and how picturesque at all other times ! Those who have a fancy for 

 more than one color, can use the rose and white-colored to mix with the crim- 

 son. There is this farther to be said in favor of the Japan Quince, that scarcely 

 any manner of neglect can spoil its beauty. It can be easily and quickly brought 

 into shape again. It will always retain its beauty, though it may lose its prim- 

 ness by neglect to be sheared. No amount of shearing, however, can give it 

 that hard, solid surface so common to evergreen hedges. — G. 



