1852.] THE PHILADELPHIA FLO RIST. 235 



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(^and this should not be delayed until the roots have become rotted, as^l 

 q° in that case the plants would probably receive a check, and it is diffi- ^p 

 f cult to get them into free growth a second time. When the flowers 

 begin to appear give air more freely but not rashly, and gradually 

 harden them for being placed while in flower in a temperature of 

 about 55° or 60°, where they will remain long in beauty. As the 

 flowers are impatient of damp, avoid watering overhead, and take 

 care not to have a stagnant atmosphere at night. When the flower- 

 ing is over gradualfv withhold water, and let the plants go quietly to 

 rest. The bulbs should have attained considerable size by the end 

 of the second season, and will form handsome specimens the follow- 

 ing year. If a succession of blooming plants is desired this will 

 easily be secured, with a good stock, by starting a few, at intervals of 

 six or eight weeks, from January to August. Care must be taken, 

 however, to expose them as freely as possible to light, otherwise those 

 grown early in the spring and late in the autumn will form but poor 

 attenuated specimens. 



A soil composed of two parts rich, fibry peat, one part leaf soil, 

 and one part light, turfy, sandy loam, freely mixed with sharp silver 

 sand, will suit the Gloxinia perfectly. If the loam is not of the 

 character described, it had better not be used, as a strong te- 

 nacious loam is not suitable for such tender rooted plants, its place 

 may be supplied by an extra proportion of leaf soil, and a small 

 quantity of thoroughly decomposed cow-dung. In potting, be care- 

 ful to have the pots properly drained, and cover the draining mate- 

 rials with a thin stratum of rough pieces of peat. 



BARTRAM AND TEMPLETON. 



Mars had, and still has his votaries, the fame of whose exploits is 

 noised abroad in every land and in all ages, claiming a large portion 

 of the attention of readers, and affording much matter for silent re- 

 flection to the philantropist who cannot see in war that panacea for 

 human ills which many would represent it to afford. We have a few 

 words to say of another class of toilers in the great field of humanity 

 — those who, secluded from the gaze of the idle and officious, free 

 from pomp or hope of empty praise, labor arduously to learn the plan 

 of the great system of nature. The two individuals whose names are 

 at the head of this article, are known to scientific men generally, as 

 two of those children of nature, who are allured to a study of her 

 works by their own grandeur and beauty ; and who surmount all ob- 

 stacles, overcome all trivial difficulties and annoyances in the com- 

 pletion of their purpose How vast are the achievements of many of 

 p these self-taught naturalists ! Frequently struggling with embarrassed 

 (^ means, they lose sight of their straitened circumstances and sink 



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