114 
CURSORY REMARKS. 
Culture of Gardenias. — The cultivation of these plants, well known for their beautiful and 
highly fragrant flowers, appears to be generally much neglected, except in the gardens of those 
who grow them for sale, or for cut flowers, the demand for which, in the metropolis, appears to 
be considerable. It is singular that they should be so indifferently grown in private gardens, 
especially as their management is not attended with any difficulty, nor do they require anything 
beyond the practical application of those principles which are now become so well recognised 
amongst cultivators. The great success realized by metropolitan growers appears to be owing in 
a large measure to their giving them a state of periodical repose and excitement. This is effected 
by keeping them during the v/inter season, or after they have perfected their growth, in a cool 
greenhouse, to which no more fire-heat is applied, than just sufficient to preserve the temperature 
a few degrees above the freezing point, and to dry the house in damp weather. During this period 
very little water is given to the plants, and this is right, because the plants are not forming any 
growth, and very little is required for the support of that already completed. As soon as the 
buds begin to swell, the plants are well watered and removed to a pit or frame, with a gentle 
bottom-heat, from fermenting dung or tan. In this place they will not require much water at the 
roots at first, as the moisture from the heating material, and an occasional syringing in sunny 
weather, will be almost sufficient. As the flowers begin to expand the amount must be increased, 
and the plants, if required, may be taken to the greenhouse, or to an intermediate house to display 
their bloom ; and when the flowers are no longer ornamental, removed to a close frame to mature 
their growth. Potting may be performed either before they are placed in bottom-heat, or not 
till after the flowers are all faded. A strong loam, with about a third part of leaf-mould, is a 
better compost for them than peat. When it is not convenient to place them in a pit, they may 
be tolerably well grown over a cistern of warm water, or in other similar situations, always bearing 
in mind that they require a slight bottom-heat, and a close, moist atmosphere whilst, swelling their 
flower-buds, and making new wood, and the opposite treatment during their season of rest If the 
plants are old, or have become stunted through improper treatment, or neglect, it will be better to 
obtain young ones in a healthy condition, than to persevere in endeavouring to correct the effects 
of previous bad management. Cuttings are easily struck in sand, under a bell glass, and soon 
make bushy flowering plants. Gardenias also force well ; and, by removing a few plants into heat 
at different periods, a constant succession of their deliciously fragrant flowers may be produced 
throughout the whole of the spring months. 
Ventilation of Pits and Frames. — Removing the lights from frames and pits is frequently 
objectionalile in rainy or windy weather, and the glass is often damaged when they are raised at 
the back for the admission of air. Instead of this, small ventilators, to run in grooves, may be 
fixed in the back and front of pits immediately under the wood work. They may be constructed 
either of wood or metal, but slate is much the most suitable material, as it neither swells nor con- 
tracts to a sensible degree by the variations of temperature. The grooves for the ventilators to 
run in, should also be of slate. All the ventilators should be connected together by an iron rod, 
so that they may be shut and opened at once. Frames may be constructed with small ventilators 
in a similar manner, or they may have one of the boards about 4 inches broad, the whole length 
of the back and front, left so that it may be retained or removed at pleasure. These may be 
fastened with catches and hinges, or they may merely be bolted at each end, or they may run in 
grooves like those of the slate ventilators for the pits. 
Heating Apparatus,— Much has been said lately on the tank system of heating pits and houses, 
and also on the open gutter system. These methods are connected in the arrangements for warming 
a range of pits in one of the metropolitan gardens. The pit nearest the boiler is fitted up with a 
tank 5 inches deep, covering the entire surface, and the other two pits are heated by gutters. The 
water flows through the front compartment of the tank in the first pit, and passes along the gutter 
in the front of the second and third pits, and returns by the back gutter through the other division 
of the tank to the boiler. It is also so contrived, that if heat is not required in the third, or second 
and third pits, the water can be prevented from passing through them, and made to return along 
