OPERATIONS FOR DECEMBER. 
263 
mountains of Nipon." It is a hardy shrub, requiring similar management to //. hortensis. 
Mr. Low, of Clapton, imported the fii'st specimens to this country. Bot. Reg. 61. 
Myoso'tis Azori'ca. ^' This beautiful Forget-me-not is found about waterfalls, and on wet 
rocks with a north-east aspect, in the islands of Corvo and Flores, the most westerly of the Azores. 
Its proper habitat appears to be on the mountains, though it comes down nearly to the sea-shore, 
following the course of rocky mountain streams, where the atmosphere is kept humid by the 
spray of the water. The deep rich blue of its numerous flowers, and their long succession from 
the lateral branches, combine to render this species well deserving of cultivation, providing it can 
be brought to flourish in the drier climate of our gardens. It will require a loose, peaty, or 
sandy soil, careful shading from the mid-day sun, frequent sprinkling with water, and to be 
covered with a glass in hot dry weather. It will bear some frost, but may likely prove more 
impatient of cold than our native species of the genus." The flowers are about equal in size to 
those of M. repensor sylvatica, of a deep indigo blue colour, slightly tinctured with purple when 
they first expand. It comes nearest to M. palustris in general appearance, but has many 
distinguishing features, different from all the European species, BoL Mag. 4122. 
OPERATIONS FOR DECEMBER„ 
Although the more active duties which spring and summer entail on the culturist are for a 
time suspended, there are duties peculiar to the winter that are scarcely less important, and which 
are continually demanding considei^atiou and care. The constantly varying weather, the alterna- 
tion of a dark foggy and a bright clear atmosphere, the sudden depressions and rises of temper- 
ature, require him to be incessantly on the alert. 
A season of torpidity in plants growing in houses, as well as in those in the open ground, which 
are provided with it naturally, is almost as much an essential to their successful cultivation as the 
renewal of soil and the appliance of warmth and moisture in summer : and though some species 
appear to flourish under continual excitement, these form but a very small exception to the 
general rule. And that this state of repose should, in all cases where the nature of the plants 
will allow, be promoted to the utmost extent in the short days of winter, appears to be not only a 
furtherance of the results desired to be obtained, but also of some importance as an economical 
consideration. Growths made in winter are always less vigorous and perfect than those formed 
in summer ; and a plant in a growing state requires a greater degree of warmth, and, consequently, 
a greater expenditure of fuel, to preserve it from injury. 
The proportion of warmth and light in winter being naturally decreased, every possible means 
should be embraced to diminish both atmospherical and terrestrial moisture in an equivalent ratio. 
And if the growth of the plants be stimulated in spring, encouraged through the summer, and 
then gradually brought to rest during autumn, at this period of the year they will be in a fit 
condition for the most rigorous application of this principle. To put this in practice, the 
cultivator ought always to have perfect command over the humidity of the atmosphere, as well as 
its temperature. Houses, therefore, should always be so elevated as to afford every facility for 
the draining away of moisture, especially when erected in low or naturally moist situations ; and 
every channel by which humidity is communicated should be cut off. Many sources are often 
unsuspected or overlooked, which it may be well to advert to : such as leaving cisterns of water 
uncovered, unconfined fermenting materials, or any^careless application of water. Moisture, too, 
is frequently engendered by suffering plants or weeds to grow under the stages or shelves on 
which the plants are arranged ; and admitted by insufficient care in rendering the roof water, 
tight. All feeders, too, which may have been placed under the pots, should be removed. 
The degree, however, to which it will be advantageous or even safe to extend this, will require 
modification to meet the exigencies and peculiarities of different kinds of plants. In the Orchi- 
daceous house, whilst the major part succeed best with a cool and dry atmosphere, it is necessary 
to afford a little more warmth and moisture to the Vaudeous section. In the other stoves, there 
are many South American and other species which flower in the winter, or late in the autumn, 
and which consequently require more moisture and warmth than such as complete their growth 
earlier ; and as the number of winter-flowering plants is so limited, wherever the tendency to 
