Hoi ticultural Society. 187 



gonus, with some other species, will not flower well if kept all 

 the year in the hot-house ; but if placed in the open air in 

 summer, they grow slower, but flower much more freely. 

 In general, he observes, the cactus genus require to be kept 

 very near the light, otherwise they would grow, but never pro- 

 duce blossoms. He adverts to their natural situation, where 

 they are fully exposed to the sun, on rocks or burning sands, 

 never shaded by trees, and seldom visited by showers. 



12. On the Culture of the Rhododendra. By Mr. L. Mathieu, 

 Commercial Gardener in Berlin. - 



The common nursery culture of this genus is given, with 

 directions to protect the plants through the winter by coverings 

 of boards, or litter. 



13. On ringing of Fruit Trees. By Mr. R. Werthmeister. 



Mr. W. made rings round the branches of several apple, 

 pear, plum, peach, apricot, and walnut trees, and some grape 

 vines, with a view to enlarging the size and quantity of the 

 fruit, and promoting its ripening. He succeeded in these 

 respects, and found some of the fruits, especially of the green 

 gage plum, a third part larger ; and he says, from eight to even 

 twenty days earlier, than on the other branches of the same 

 trees, which he did not ring. He also tried the operation on 

 some raspberry plants, but he found no effect produced in the 

 fruit, though the young shoots lost their leaves sooner. 



14. Is composed of extracts from what passed at the Fourth 

 Meeting of the Society, on the 6th of April 1823, and which 

 are only of local interest. 



15. On the cheapest and most durable Mode of ticketing Plants, 

 tvhether in the Open Air or in Glass- Houses. By Mr. Dern of 

 Scarbriick. 



16- Observations on the above. By Mr. Otto, Inspector of the 

 Botanic Garden at Berlin. 



Mr. Dern, after trying tin, wooden, and slate labels, at 

 last had them made of zinc, which oxidizes very little in the 

 open air, and can be written on or painted at pleasure. He 

 preferred giving them a coat of paint, and writing the name 

 with a pen in red colour ground in turpentine. Mr. Otto 

 decidedly prefers the zinc labels, and next to them, those of 

 earthenware; which last, however, are too expensive for 

 general purposes. The handsomest, he considers, to be 

 earthenware, with the name written under the glazing. 



o 4 



