General Notices. 645 



Crmum capense is a hardy amphibious bulb, strongly recommended by Mr. 

 Herbert for covering small islands, as affording by its abundant arched foliage 

 the best possible covert for wildfowl, and producing an abundant succession 

 of beautiful flowers throughout the summer, and even the autumn. This 

 plant is equally capable of flowering and ripening its seed, when planted in a 

 border, or 2 ft. under the surface of the water, but thrives best in a border 

 with abundance of water, or in a rainy season. It would be best planted a 

 little above the level of the water. The seed sprouts as soon as it is ripe, 

 and the young plants should be sheltered in pots the first and second winter, 

 and then planted out, taking care that the weeds do not smother them while 

 young. The bulbs, when full-grown, are so hardy, that, although they are 

 natives of the Cape of Good Hope, I have had the neck of one, which had 

 been left standing in water, imprisoned in ice 2 or 3 inches thick for a fort- 

 night, without injury to the plant. Nursery gardeners might easily raise it 

 from seed to sell it by the hundred. (Gard. Ckron.^ vol. i. p. 581.) 



Roscbea purpurea has for many years been cultivated in the open air in the 

 Edinburgh Botanic Garden, with no other protection than a little tan thrown 

 over the border in winter. {Ibid., p. 149.) 



The Marchioness of Exeter Camellia is the finest variety in cultivation 

 The flowers are between 5 in. and 6 in. in diameter, and very regularly 

 double. The colour is a bright deep rose. Raised from seed of Middlemist's 

 by James Priaulx, Esq., of Guernsey. {Ibid., p, 215.) 



Salvia patens, with its deep blue flowers, makes a splendid bed when pegged 

 down, and the flower-spikes pinched off till the shoots nearly cover the bed. 

 {J. B. Whiting, in Gard. Chron., vol. i. p. 582.) 



Abutilon striatum strikes throughout the winter from two joints in two or 

 three weeks : 150 plants were obtained from one in a single winter by John 

 Halliday. {Gard. Chron., vol. i. p. 213.) 



Abutilon \itifdlmm has lived out of doors through the last severe winter in 

 the neighbourhood of London. {Ibid., p. 246.) 



Fuchsia, discolor^ in Norfolk, and even in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh, 

 becomes a shrub 4 or 5 feet high, uninjured except by very severe weather. 

 (Ibid., p. 596.) 



Physidnthus albicans, which will cover many yards of wall in a short time, 

 has the remarkable property of catching moths. The moth is held fast by the 

 pressure of the cartilaginous anther upon the proboscis, which is inserted be- 

 tween it and the stigma. {Ibid., p. 685.) 



O'xalis Acetosella, or wood sorrel, makes an excellent edging for shaded 

 walks. It requires no cutting, except to keep it within bounds, and for that 

 once a year will suffice. {Ibid., p. 685.) 



Canker in Fruit Trees is often produced by heading them down in spring, 

 while it does not occur if that operation have been performed in autumn. If 

 the operation of lopping off" the branches preparatory to grafting is deferred 

 till spring, the sap being then in brisk motion, bleeding, or an extravasation 

 of sap, takes place, which deluges the scion, and as the sap becomes chemically 

 changed or decomposed it kills the alburnum, often to a considerable extent, 

 along the stump on which the scion is placed ; whilst the sudden privation of 

 circulating sap, by lopping, deranges the economy of the remaining portion of 

 the plant. Such limbs as are to be grafted should be decided upon long 

 before the season for performing the operation; they should be shortened 

 before the commencement of vegetation, as in the case of pruning, to within 

 a little of the place where the graft is intended to be placed. No harm will 

 be done by taking off a little more, so as to make a fresh section, at the time 

 of grafting. By following these directions the process of healings instead of 

 decay, will proceed with the advance of vegetation. {Ibid., p. 629.) 



Vines are mads to break by turning out the shoots through holes in the 

 front lights. First turn out the whole shoot, except 2 or 3 feet at the 

 lower end. Then, after forcing has been commenced, and the buds on that 



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