Domestic Notices : — England. 231 



twenty miles hence, he bought a lot of common border tulips (it is said, a 

 peck) for five shillings, and, after dressing them, and giving them grand 

 new names, has sold out of that bag to the amount of hundreds of pounds." 

 — J. D. 



Skilful Restoration of half-ruined Shrubberies. — Sir, At a gentleman's 

 seat, within twenty miles of London, at which I have lately had occasion 

 to call, I was struck with the appearance of the shrubberies. As these 

 are different from any I had ever seen before, 1 shall (with the gardener's 

 permission and assistance) endeavour to give you an account of the 

 manner in which they have been treated, as I think that shrubberies in 

 general are too much neglected. It appears that, some years ago, when 

 the present gardener came to the place, he found them nearly in a wild 

 state, except that the ground between them had been annually dug. 

 He therefore set about thinning them in good earnest. Nearly all the 

 under-shrubs were cut down to within a few feet of the ground ; the large 

 trees were then thinned out, so that such trees as were not too far gone 

 for improvement might stand clear of each other, in order to encourage 

 them to grow into a handsome shape. The stools were then well cleaned 

 out ; that is, all useless suckers were taken out, and the mould which had 

 been imprudently thrown in was, as far as practicable, taken out, and the 

 ground raked very fine. It has never since been dug ; but every year, as 

 soon as the leaves are off, the trees and shrubs are carefully pruned, and 

 the leaves are raked out and swept up. By this means, instead of a rough 

 brown surface, there is now a covering of moss, which not only looks 

 beautiful, but, as the ground is not disturbed, the surface roots are not 

 destroj'ed, nor the ground made unlevel by the common practice of digging 

 holes to bury the leaves in. The advantage of thus thinning the trees and 

 pruning the shrubs cannot, I think, but be admired by the most careless 

 observer. — R. T. 



Hints on cultivating Cordmelina coelestis ; and on preserving the Bulbs of 

 Tigridia Pavonia and conchifihra. — The Commelina coelestis is well known 

 to thrive, and display its succession of beautifully delicate azure flowers 

 in the open borders, during the months of July and August; but on the 

 approach of winter a trifling frost is sure to destroy the roots. I have suc- 

 cessfully preserved the latter by the following practice : — Plants raised 

 from seeds early in the spring will, if planted by the end of April in toler- 

 ably rich soil, produce good roots by the autumn. After the stems are 

 dead, and removed from the plants, the roots are taken up, and placed 

 under the stage in the green-house, or upon the mould contained in large 

 pots or boxes which include large plants ; in short, in anj' part of the green- 

 house in which they can be kept in a moist state j and, to secure them in 

 this condition, sprinkled occasionally from the rose pan of a watering-pot, 

 if they are not damp enough without it : their natural texture is so suc- 

 culent, that they will, if kept dry, shrivel and become exhausted, and, if 

 suffered to remain in a half-dried state, they will become mouldy and 

 rotten. In the beginning of March they should be planted, if in a bed, at 

 a foot apart, when they will be much finer and stronger than they were in 

 the previous year. By continuing to grow and preserve them in this 

 manner, they will improve each succeeding year, and increase by offsets, as 

 do the turban and other ranunculuses. The roots which I send with this 

 are four and five years old. I have found the bulbs of Tigridia Pavonfa 

 and conchiflora best preserved in the above manner. — C.Austin, Gar- 

 dener to Admiral Sir JB, 11. Carew. Beddington Park, Surrey, Feb. 27. 1833. 



It may not only be said that the C. coelestis blooms through " July and 

 August," but until Michaelmas, in most seasons ; later even, if frosts come 

 not so soon. Than the six fascicles of tubers sent, finer have probably 

 never been seen. The number of tubers in them are severally 11, 14, 18, 



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