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CONTEMPORARY WRITINGS. 
length with blossoms at the proper period. 
On the other hand, if the close stopping of 
the shoots is then practised, none but 
small weak shoots can be secured for bloom 
bearing. 
Show Pelargoniums. — Public opinion 
seems to be setting in against the employment 
of so many stakes as have hitherto been used 
in training these lovely flowers for exhibition 
purposes ; although it is not likely to be found 
possible to produce large bushy specimens at 
exhibitions without a considerable number of 
stakes, owing to the necessity of using them 
to ensure safe travelling. In respect to cul- 
ture and bloom, the exhibition plants of the 
present day are surpassingly grand ; but it is 
suggested that even the grandeur and beauty 
of these plants become tiring from the want 
of variety. A few inches higher or lower, 
broader or narrower, is the ordinary range 
which variation in the size and form of the 
plants is allowed to take. The introduction 
of pyramidal training has been recommended 
for the purpose of affording, not only in the 
flower house, but in the exhibition tent also, 
some degree of variety among the plants. 
It is not proposed that the present dwarf com- 
pact bush form should be given up, but merely 
that some few of other forms should be made 
to accompany them for the sake of variety and 
effect. Thus, a few pyramidal pelargoniums, 
three, four, or five feet high above the pot or 
tub, and covered with flowers, both foliage 
and flowers commencing at the top of the pot, 
it is argued, will relieve the monotonous beauty 
now so evident, and would be in themselves, 
exclusive of the variety they afford, objects 
of decided elegance. 
Entrance Gates and Lodges. — Every 
lodge and gate situated at the principal en- 
trance to a mansion, should correspond in style 
with the architecture of the house. The 
visitor, on entering, would then be exempted 
from conjecture, and fully prepared to admire 
on the one hand the beautiful and regular 
proportion of the Grecian, or, on the other, 
the more bold and massive style of the Gothic 
order. It would be difficult to define the style 
of architecture frequently exhibited in those 
incongruous masses of bricks and mortar, 
called lodges, so prevalent at the present day. 
Those who are entrusted with their erection 
should pay more attention to the rules of 
architecture, for lodges and gates give import- 
ance alike to the villa and the mansion. 
Suggestion for Destroying Wire- 
worms. — The milder kind of mercurial oint- 
ment consists of one part of nitrate of mercury 
and thirty of oil and hog's lard. A very 
small portion of this will destroy an insect. 
One pound and a half of the nitrate of mer- 
cury to one cwt. of grease would perhaps be 
sufficient. The economical manufacture of it 
is a question of importance. It might be 
mixed with " greaves," or the refuse of the 
soap-boilers, which, in an experiment tried 
last year, was found more fertilising for tur- 
nips than either bone-dust and ashes, or 
superphosphate of lime and ashes. Perhaps 
the refuse of train-oil manufacturers would 
be found advantageous ; for this mixed with 
sawdust has been found very fertilising. The 
expense of either of these greasy articles, and 
of the nitrate of mercury, would not be much ; 
and their application might destroy the wire- 
worm. 
Improvement of Garden Tools. — It is 
an admitted principle in political economy 
that, in proportion as the amount of produce 
can be increased by a reduction of labour, so 
great is the proportionate increase of wealth 
to the producer. Upon this principle all im- 
proved machinery for the production of our 
manufactures, and implements for the culti- 
vation of the soil, are constructed. In agri- 
culture, where the soil must return a profit 
from the expenditure, this principle meets 
with no little attention. How great, how 
numerous, are the yearly experiments made 
to produce the most perfect implements, by 
which the expenditure might be lessened, 
while the profits might increase. Agricul- 
turists neglect no opportunities of carrying 
these out, while they encourage, by rewards, 
those who produce the most perfect at their 
exhibitions. "What have gardeners to produce 
with regard to horticulture ? Not, certainly, 
such as were used by the ancient Britons, but 
that they serve no better purpose, is nearly all 
that can be said of our present tools and im- 
plements. To learn the use of garden tools, 
such as are placed in their hands, is commend- 
able ; to learn to improve them, more so. 
The same principle which incites the agricul- 
turists should be also paramount with 
gardeners. The improvement of garden tools 
and implements is a subject worthy of earnest 
attention. Mr. Barnes, of Bicton, some time 
since, made some notable improvements in 
the hoe, but some general system is required. 
To have hoes or any other implements or tools 
made to order is an unnecessary expense, if 
they could be done as well by a general manu- 
facturer. Horticultural societies are well 
adapted to afford a stimulus in this matter, 
by offering special prizes for their improve- 
ment ; and they would do well to take the 
matter into consideration in the preparation 
of their Prize Schedules. 
The Chive {Allium Schcenoprasum). — 
Frivolous as this may appear to be, it is not 
the less valuable to the humble cottager, whose 
spring food requires seasoning after his winter 
stock of onions is exhausted. I have grown 
