9 
23 Pink; Culture of. Raise a frame, a foot above the patli; 
put therein an incli thick of fresh lime, to stop out worms; on 
this, put four indies tliick of strong stable manure, and tread 
it firmly down. Fill up the frame with the following compost: 
Fresh loam, four parts; old hotbed, three parts; finely broken 
oil-cake, one part. In this, the young plants should be put out; 
eighteen inches apart, each way, as soon as they have struck 
root from the pipings. In February give a top dressing of 
finely sifted sandy earth, in [ireference to loose compost or 
manure, which encourage insects. Side buds, and all above 
four jirincipal ones, for flowering, should be taken oft', as soon 
as they appear. Shade from sun and rain, whilst in flower, and 
water freely between the plants. 
24 Raised Borders. It is well knoiin that the pink, carnation, 
and some other plants, require to be kept diy; consequently, 
careful growers generally raise their beds above the level of the 
garden paths. This is, sometimes, done with boards, but a much 
more tasteful border, for the support of the earth, may be raised 
with lumps of gypsum, spar, tufa, or even rough, over-burnt, 
and deformed bricks, or any of these materials conjointly. In 
the joints of such border some of the saxifrages and sedums 
may be planted, so as to render it a permanent ornament in lieu 
of a deformity. It is true that this species of fence is, in some 
degree liable to harbour insects, but if florists’ flowers be the 
objects of cultivation, it would not be difficult to protect the 
plants, from such insects as crawl only, by a very nanow trough 
of oil or tar. 
25 Skeletons of Fish. As branches of natural history, the 
skeletons of animals, and of vegetables also, become interesting. 
Those of small fish are readily obtained, in the spring, when 
tadpoles are to be met with. A few of them should be put into 
a wide mouthed bottle or jar, full of brook water, or of that 
taken from the place where these animals are found; which 
should be frequently changed. Remove the scales from a small 
fish, and by threads, suspend it in the bottle, in a horizontal 
position, and the tadpoles will consume the soft part of the fish, 
leaving a perfect skeleton of clean bones. Should any of the 
tadpoles die in the bottle they should be immediately removed, 
or the survivors will consume them, and thereby neglect the 
business you have set them, 
loe 
