192 
THE ELOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 
during the last five years become so scarce in the trade. If Mr. Turner is unable to 
supply them, there is not much probabilility of their being procurable. 
Clematis. — C . H . S. — The clematis are propagated readily by grafting, but the 
best plan for an amateur to adopt is to layer the shoots. This may be done in June 
or July, but care must be taken so as not to injure the shoots, for they are exceed- 
ingly brittle and require careful handling. The shoot should be partly cut through 
near a joint, and then pegged down, and covered with an inch or so of soil. The 
flowers were smashed in the post and could not be identified. 
Fern. — Old Subscriber. — The fern is not the variety mentioned, hut Polystichium 
lonchites. 
If'. A. Holmes, FeeJeham. — A letter addressed under cover to the Editor would 
reach the writer of the article referred to, but it is desirable that you should dis- 
tinctly understand that the writer’s time is so fully occupied as to render it impos- 
sible for him to reply privately to your letter. The most desirable course would be 
to make your inquiries through the medium of the Floral World. We would 
also take advantage of this opportunity for requesting, as a special favour, our 
readers not to write privately to our contributors, thereby imposing a private corres- 
pondence upon them relating to matters arising out of communications appearing in 
these pages which is quite unjustifiable and, moreover, unnecessary. So great a tax 
has been imposed upon some of our most valued coadjutors by correspondents writing 
to them, that they have been compelled to write anonymously, instead of under their 
full name and address. 
Petunias. — Lady Amateur. — A selection of good sorts well grown will make a 
grand display. Double varieties are decidedly the best for indoor work, and are of 
little use for bedding. They do not stand the weather so well as the single varieties. 
Gro-win medium-sized pots near the glass, and expose the plants to a free circulation 
of air. Keep them well stopped back until nice bushy specimens are formed. Pot 
in silky loam and rotten manure, two parts of the former to one of the latter. After 
the pots are full of rgots, give frequent doses of weak manure-water, to keep them 
growing vigorously. 
Spot on Orchids. — B . — You have exposed the plants to a sudden change of 
some sort, or else kept them in full growth through the past winter. Either would 
produce the mischief complained of. Nothing will eradicate the spots. The only 
remedy is to pay particular attention to them, and help them to grow out of it. The 
worst treatment these plants can have is to keep them in a high temperature with 
an abundance of moisture, both in the atmosphere and at the root for a time, and 
then e.xpose them to a low temperature by a suspension of fire-heat and too much 
air. Act in moderation with them for the future. 
Propagating Fuchsias AND Geraniums. — M . IF . — Fuchsias can be propagated 
all the year round with proper convenience. AVith the aid of a cold greenhouse or 
frame only, from April to September is the best time for propagating them. Zonal 
pelargoniums are best struck in August and September. With regard to the proper 
time for propagating other hard and soft wooded plants, everything depends upon 
what they are. Cuttings of zonal pelargoniums strike with a greater degree of cer- 
tainty inserted in an outdoor border fully exposed to the sun. They will also strike 
freely inserted in pots and stood out of doors. The young wood of the fuchsias 
intended for cuttings should be firm, and about half-ripe if intended to be struck 
without artificial heat ; but when the assistance of heat can be had, it is no matter 
how soft the cuttings may be. Fill the pots with light sandy soil, and then place a 
layer of sand over it. Insert the cuttings firmly, and put the puts under a hand- 
iight or in a close frame until the cuttings are rooted. 
Liliums. — JI . iT.— The mentioned lilies are quite hardy. We advise you to stand 
them out of doors in a partially-shaded position until the flowers begin to expand, 
when, of course, they can he removed to the conservatory. As the plants have 
now made considerable progress, and the pots are full of roots, water them with 
weak liquid manure. Place them in an airy position a week before standing out of 
doors. 
Seedling Geraniums. — II . G . — It is best to flower seedling geraniums in 48- 
sized pots. If you bed tbera out many of them will not flower this season, and those 
that do flower will be so various in character as to have anything but a pleasing 
appearance. Pot tliem in rather light loam ; do not prune or train them, but let 
them grow as they like till they flower. 
