HINTS ON THUNBERGTA. 
65 
continues to take place most part of the season of flowering and making its shoots ; 
it will, therefore, be readily seen that there exists a necessity for it to have an 
abundant supply of water during its growing and flowering season. It is not 
suflicientiy hardy to endure our winters generally, although some plants have stood 
out, planted in an American shrubbery, throughout the whole year, when the 
weather was not very severe, and did not seem to be affected by it ; they certainly 
are, when in flower, very splendid ornaments to our conservatories or green-houses. 
They grow freely in sandy peat, and strike root readily by layers of the young wood. 
They are sometimes grafted upon the R. Ponticwn, but never make such handsome 
tree-like plants as when propagated by layers or seeds. They seldom flower until 
they are several years of age, and are then rather capricious, not flowering every year 
in succession, although receiving precisely the same treatment. 
Individuals who have not the convenience of a conservatory or green-house, 
may keep them very well in a cold pit or frame, through our most severe winters . 
They will come beautifully into flower in the beginning of April, and the flowers 
secrete such a quantity of honey, that when they are shaken it falls from them like 
large drops of rain. 
Mr. Knight thinks a spike may yield upwards of a dessert spoonful at a time, 
and, after being exhausted, a fresh supply is secreted. It is, however, considered 
unwholesome, as is all collected from the other species of RJiododendron and 
Azalea, although most part of the EricetB produce honey free from all deleterious 
qualities. 
HINTS ON THUNBERGIA. 
The only species of this interesting family which is generally and extensively 
cultivated, is the Tli. alata (from Ala, a wing), so named on account of the curiously 
winged appendage along and on each side of the footstalk of the leaves. This 
species has been figured at No. II., page 2, vol ii., and pretty faithfully ; but the 
winged process is not suflicientiy brought out. The figure given is very pleasing, 
but, as a constant grower of this lovely gem, the writer of this article is justified in 
noticing it somewhat critically. The botanical description is faithful, so is the 
natural history of the plant which follows it ; but the soil recommended is not that 
which will produce the richest verdure of the herb, and the greatest breadth of the 
flower. Pure black peat, kept for years exposed to the air (not heath or moor soil, 
but the substance dug out of a moss or turbary, without any traceable sand), caused 
the leaves to be of a full green, three inches long, two broad, and the flowers (at and 
after midsummer) to attain the diameter of a crown piece, or very nearly so. But 
peat varies much in character, and in its chemical components ; therefore, to recom- 
mend it as a sine qua non would be to mislead, or, perhaps, seriously disappoint the 
reader, who may be solicitous to afford every advantage, as respects aliment and 
situation, to a plant which is so lavish of its beauties. 
Perhaps thoroughly decayed wood-moss, Hypnum, or bog-moss, Sphagnum, 
would approach very nearly to that peat which I succeeded with ; but, at all evenis, 
VOL. Ill NO. XXVII. K 
