5 



NUTMEGS. 



Last j'ear Mr. Sutton Sooltock (Manchioneal) reported finding a Nutmeg on one of his male trees. 

 In July of this 3'ear, he kindly forwarded some flowers from this tree, and another Nutmeg which, he 

 says, is the third or fourth borne by this tree. The flowers are male, and it is certainly a note- 

 worthy circumstance to find that the tree bears also female flowers. 



The Nutmeg is very much smaller than the usual size. The seed was examined and found to con- 

 tain a perfect embryo. 



Mr. Scoltock writes : — " Nutmegs seem to be unusually prolific in this district. I have just sold 

 the yield of three trees for three months at 2s, 6d. per lb. for both miwe and nutmegs, and realised 

 £3 4s. lOd." 



DIRECTIONS FOR GROWING POT-PLANTS. 



Fuchsias, Pelargoniums, Gloxinias, and tuberous rooted Begonias. 



Fuchsias. — These may be raised from seeds if new varieties are desired, but the usual method is to 

 propagate by cuttings which strike readily dmiug the cooler months of the year, if made of free-growing 

 shoots not disposed to flower. The cuttings should be placed an inch apart in light, sandy soil, either in 

 pots or beds, shaded from strong sun, and the soil kept moi.st. When rooted they should be moved singly 

 into 3 inch pots, and if kept well watered and attended to they will make rapid growth. AVhen the 3 inch 

 pots are moderately filled with roots the plants should be shifted into 8 to 10 inch pots, the leading shoots 

 should be pinched off, and the plants watered freely and allowed plenty of light and air, but shaded from 

 the burning mid-day sun, and if so treated they will flower freely Fuchsias will grow in any gocd garden 

 soil, but thrive best in a mixture of loam, well rotted manure and a fair sj)iinkling of sand, and when the 

 pots are filled with roots liquid manure may be used with advantage. 



The plants are usually kept dry during the winter months, pruned closely back in the spring, shaken 

 out of the old soil, repotted with fi'esh, and again started into growth. 



Pelargoniums. — Cuttings made from shoots neither too hard nor too soft and sappy, are the best, 

 and will root at any time of the year, but the cooler months of the year are the best for propagating all 

 plants of this class. The cuttings should be inserted in beds, or small pots filled with loam and sand. 

 The soil should be kept just moist, as if too much water is given the cuttings are veiy liable to damp off. 

 When well rooted they should be moved into 3 inch pots, well drained, as they cannot stand stagnant 

 moisture, and in potting the soil should be pressed firmly in the pots. The point of each plant should be 

 nipped olf, and three or foxir shoots will be forme l, and when lai'ge enough to handle, these should be tied 

 down to the rim of the pot, an 1 when the shoots have made 3 or 4 joints they shoidd also be pinched to 

 induce them to make further shoots. At this stage the plants may be moved into (J inch pots. 



Pelargoniums shoiild be kept rather dry than otherwise, and it is important that the soil shoidd be 

 rammed firm in the pots, or the plants will make coarse growths little disposed to flower. 



Good fibrous loam with a fairly liberal supply of rotten manure or dry cow dung, and sufficient coarse 

 sand to keep the whole open, will be found a good mixture for potting. 



AVhen about to flower a little liquid manure may be given occasionally. When the flowering season 

 is over, the plants may be stood out of doors for a month or so, then cut back, and when they start into 

 growth they should be repotted, shaking most of the old soil oft the roots, the latter should be trimmed a 

 little, and the plants placed in pots a size smaller than those they came out of ; train the shoots when 

 they get long enough to be tied down, and later move into pots a size larger. 



Gloxinias. — The tubers of these are usually inported, but plants ai'e easily raised from seeds, and 

 may also be propogated by cuttings of the stems and leaves. The seed should be sown thinly in a mix- 

 ture composed of equal proportions of finely sifted loam and leaf-mould, to which should be added some 

 sand, in a well-drained jjot or seed pan, which should be covered with a pane of glass till the seed germi- 

 nates. The soil should be kept just moist. When the seedlings are large enough to handle they should be 

 pricked off into other pots or pans of similar soil, about an inch apart and when they have grown suffici- 

 ently tbey should be placed singly in small pots, and as they increase in size they should be moA'ed into 

 larger pots till they finally occupy G or 8 inch pots. For potting use good sandy loam and leaf-mould 

 in the proportion of three parts of the former to one of the latter. 



After flowering keep the soil damp so long as there is any vitalit}^ in the leaves, gradually withhold- 

 ing water as they decay, and when they have died away the tubers may be stored in a dry place till the 

 next spring, when they should be again started into growth. 



Begonias — Tuberoits rooted. — Sow the seed in a pot or pan of well-drained, light sandy soil, which 

 should be well watered just before. The seed should be scattered thinly over the surface and gently 

 pressed down, but not covered with soil or it will not germinate. 



A pane of glass should be placed on the pot or pan which will prevent excessive evaporation, and 

 keep the atmosphere sui roimding the .seed in a state conducive to germination ; this is an excellent plan 

 to follow in sowing all minute and delicate seeds, but the glass should be removed as soon as the plants 

 apppear, or they get drawn by it and become weak and straggly. 



As soon as the little Regonias are large enough to be jnanipulated, they should be pricked off into boxes 

 of light leaf-mould soil in which they may remain till large enough to be placed singly in 3 inch pots, 

 and they may be moved finallj' into G inch pots, using a mixture of loam, leaf-mould and well rotted 

 manure, with sand. Plenty of water should be given during the growing season, but as growth decays 

 water must be withheld, and finally the tubers may be shaken out of the soil and stored in sand, or dry 

 cocoa-nut fibre till next season. 



Insects. — All pot plantsare liable to the attacks of insect pests: — thrips, green-fly, mealy-bug, scale, &c., 

 For the two former tobacco water (made by soaking tobacco in water) may be used by dipping th< plants 

 n the solution, or .soft soap at the rate of | to 1 oz. to the gallon of water, and thoroughly mixed with it 



