8G4 



THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



[Mar, 



with a fine rose watering-pot ; but this can only be done with 

 s^ifety, cither early in the morning or late in the afternoon. 

 When such a practice renders the mould in the pots too damp, 

 (a thing to be guarded against in spring and autumn, but dur- 

 \na: the warm months of summer, evaporation will go on so 

 rapidly, and the plants being in small pots exposed all round 

 to the action of air, will not be injured by it,) water may then 

 be given amongst the pots, so as to keep the bed on which they 

 stand always cool and rather damp. By a similar practice we 

 have been enabled to cultivate Alpine plants on an extensive 

 scale, and the result has been entirely to our satisfaction. 



Alpine plants are ot\en planted out on rock-works and in 

 sh ided borders. Professor Thouin arranged a bank of Alpines 

 in the Paris garden, an account of which he published in the 

 Annales de Musec, and a translation of which has been pub- 

 lished by a celebrated English botanist in the Trans. Hort. 

 Soc. The plants on this b^ulk did not succeed to expectation ; 

 and daily experience shows that plants of this description never 

 tlu'ive well, nor long, in beds or banks of any kind. The prac- 

 tice of potting appears, therefore, to be the best mode ; and 

 although attended with a little more trouble and expence, the 

 lovers of these curious and interesting portions of the vegetable 

 creation will be repaid by having many of Nature's smallest, 

 and not less perfect treasures, in a state of perfection equal to 

 their native habitats. 



FLOKISTS' FLOWERS. 



Auriculas. — The auriculas, in pots, should now be gone 

 over, and all decayed leaves removed ; the surface of the mould 

 in the pots loosened and partly removed, and a top-dressing of 

 fresh mould given them. They should, if in a frame or auri- 

 cula stage, be frequently, although moderately supplied with 

 water and exposed to gentle showers ; but care must still be 

 taken that they be not suffered to become too wet. Air must 

 be freely and daily given them ; and when it is wished to have 

 them liower strong and in full perfection, only one flower-stem 

 should be allowed to each plant, all others should be rubbed 

 off as they appear. Seeds of good auriculas should now be 



