152 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
Parties desirous of increasing their choice varieties may now commence piping ; the 
sooner this is done the better, the pipings will strike the best when planted on gentle 
bottom heat, and kept in a shady situation. A good compost to strike them in is one-third 
rotten turves or vegetable m^ould, one-third rotted horse-manure, and one-third road 
scrapings : this mixture should be passed through a fine sieve, and well incorporated 
previous to using. After it is properly prepared, place a layer about four inches in 
thickness over the bed you intend to plant them in, and make it quite even on the surface. 
The glasses in use for this purpose are of octagonal shape, and measure ten inches in 
diameter, five inches deep at the sides, and raised at the top two inches. In taking off 
the pipings from the parent plant, be careful not to strip the main stem, nor over prune 
them, as it generally proves injurious ; young shoots of slender growth are the easiest to 
strike, they should be prepared by taking the two side leaves of the piping off at the third 
joint from the top, and putting the stem through horizontally just below it ; shorten the 
two leaves above it, and the piping is complete. Previous to planting, just sprinkle some 
silver sand over the bed, then make an impression with the glass, that you may know the 
distances to plant them ; then have a garden pan filled with water, place it close at hand 
that each variety may be immersed ; before planting take each piping between your finger 
and thumb, and run it into the soil three quarters of an inch deep ; the distance between 
each piping should be about half an inch ; press them down rather heavily, and the 
operation is complete. 
These directions will be found amply sufficient to ensure success in the cultivation of 
Carnations and Picotees ; but should there be any inquiries instituted upon minor points, 
I shall be happy to enter upon those matters that are rather interesting individually than 
collectively. 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
New and rare Plants in Flower. The Horti- 
cultural Society's first exhibition, &c. 
Amid the gorgeous assemblage of "Flowers of 
all hue " which adorned the exhibition stages of 
the Horticultural Society's first grand show for 
the current year, notwithstanding it is difficult 
to particularise a selection of noticeable subjects 
from amongst a multitude so universally, so pre- 
eminently good, we nevertheless cannot refrain 
from recording a few, but will precede our 
notices with some general remarks on the exhi- 
bition collectively. 
Excellent as were all the general arrangements 
connected with the exhibition ; admirable as was 
the cultivation displayed, and disposition of the 
collections in detail — still, the absence of novelty 
was universally commented on by the frequenters 
of the Chiswick May shows. 
But one opinion, that of their super-excellence, 
could be entertained respecting the Azaleas ; for, 
notwithstanding the intrinsically rich variety dis- 
played amongst the Orchids, the Indian Azaleas, 
in the estimation of everybody, triumphantly bore 
oflf the palm — presenting such a brilliant array of 
gorgeous florescence, excellent growth, and noble 
specimens, as has on no previous occasion been 
surpassed, if scarcely equalled ; and this, too, in 
spite of the unpropitious weather that plant culti- 
vators had to contend with. 
The different collections of Orchidaceous plants 
were exhibited in fine condition, and as the already 
fine specimens in the possession of those who grow 
this interesting tribe extensively, increase in 
dimensions, it is not unreasonable to expect the 
production of " spikes " and " scapes " of corre- 
sponding quality, and more especially if quantity 
he sacrificed to quality a little more in Orchids; a 
practice found to be so beneficial in the treatment 
of the majority of flowering plants. 
Heath growers have evidently got into the 
right track in the management of this elegant 
tribe ; an evident improvement being visible over 
former exhibitions in dispensing with artificial 
props to a greater extent. The generality of them 
were compact and handsomely grown shrub-like 
plants, the happy result of timely and judicious 
" stopping," which, in the beautiful specimens 
exhibited on this occasion, had manifestly been 
methodically attended to from the time they left 
the propagating house. 
Stove and Greenhouse plants were exhibited in 
great numbers : the collections severally contain- 
ing superb specimens of cultivation, indicating 
that the utmost care and most masterly style of 
management had been bestowed upon them. 
It would be invidious to distinguish where 
excellence was so generally apparent, but in BIrs. 
Lawrence's collection especially, there were some 
gigantic subjects of culture, and if a fault was 
detectible in this costly group, it was one over 
