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ON THE CULTURE OF RHODANTHE MANGLESIL 
Few annuals have ever been introduced to our collections that can at all vie 
with the delightful little plant which forms the subject of the following brief 
remarks. All that we can conceive of beauty or loveliness in a plant — and in this 
respect plants maintain an absolute pre-eminence over all other created objects, 
unendowed with volitive motion, — seems concentrated in Rhodanthe Manglesii. 
Its sprightly, elegant habit, now erect, then tortuous, and anon curving and inter- 
weaving its slender branches in all directions, so as best to exhibit their charming 
blossoms, — with flowers of a brilliancy of hue, and compactness of form, which 
laugh to scorn all the labours of the most skilful artisans to imitate, — the petals of 
these being likewise of an extremely delicate and glossy texture, and of what is 
usually termed everlasting duration, render it an object of more than ordinary 
interest, and constitute it indeed a perfect gem of its class. 
A tolerably faithful coloured representation of it may be seen by referring to 
p. of the third volume of this work, but we regret to find that it has not yet 
been cultivated to the extent it merits. As any remarks on its cultivation from 
the individual by whom it was originally raised cannot prove otherwise than 
interesting, we proceed to give the substance of a communication furnished to us 
by Mr. D. Mackay, Gardener to R. Mangles, Esq. 
The main purport of these observations is to inform cultivators how they may 
obtain flowering-plants of this species in the month of March, to effect which 
object, the seed should be sown in August, in a compost of decayed leaf-soil and 
light maiden earth, equal parts of each, filling the pot or pan in which it is to be 
sown to about half its depth with broken potsherds, to ensure good drainage. The 
seed should not be covered with more earth than will seclude it from light, and 
after sowing, it should be gently watered through the fine rose of a small watering 
pot, and placed in a temperature not lower than 60°, and of which 80"^ is the 
maximum degree. The pots should be examined once or twice daily, and the 
earth never allowed to become too dry, taking care to apply water of a tempe- 
rature nearly equal to that of the house. 
Under this treatment, the plants will make their appearance in three weeks or a 
month after the time of sowing, and while yet in the seed-leaf they should be 
removed to a part of the house as light and airy as possible, that they may not 
grow too weakly and slender. As soon as they have attained a sufficient size, they 
should be potted into small sixty-sized pots, three in each pot, using the compost 
before recommended, and bearing in mind that the pots cannot be too well drained 
at all stages of their growth. 
It is difficult to assign any specific rules relative to the period at which they 
should be repotted, as much depends on the state of the weather, the mode of 
VOL. V. NO. LVII. D D 
