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the infested plants in frames, ^uth bruised laurel leaves. 
By an article contained in the Gardener’s fllagazine, it appears 
that j)lants also may he injured by the same treatment, and 
that precaution in the use of such recipe is indispensihle. From 
the latter work,Vol. 13, p. ooO, we copy the following commu- 
nication. “ Having read in the Gardener’s Magazine, an ac- 
count of a method of destroying insects that infest plants, taken 
from a paper read before the Horticultural Society, I was indu- 
ced to give it a trial, as the means stated were so simple. I ac- 
cordingly procured a quantity of laurel leaves; and, having well 
bruised them, s|)iead them in the evening on the floor of a small 
stove. On the following day, at noon, I was surprised to see 
all the young leaves of some vines under the rafters appear as 
though scorched ; and, upon further examination, I found many 
ol' the stove plants affected in the same manner : the euphor- 
bias, in a few days, lost nearly all their leaves ; and the gesne- 
rias, gloxinias, &c., though they did not lose their leaves, yet 
presented a very unsightly appearance. I immediately conclu- 
ded that this was caused by the odour of the laurel leaves, and 
instantly swept them all out of the house ; but, to be sure of the 
matter, I took a plant of pelargonium and placed it under a 
hand-glass with a quantity of the bruised laurel leaves, and on 
the following morning it presented precisely the same appear- 
anee as the plants in the stove ; which satisfied me of the inju- 
rious effects of the laurel leaves on vegetation, though, at the 
same time, they were incapable of destroying the mealy bug, 
which was the insect I was chiefly annoyed with. I send you 
this account, that you may, if you think fit, publish it as a con- 
tradiction to the assertion, that the odour of laurel leaves will 
not injure ])lants, and thus prevent other gardeners from falling 
into the same error that I have done.” 
F50 Rhouodendroxs, WITHOUT PEAT. It may not be Uninterest- 
ing to many of our readers to know that it is not absolutely 
indispensible to the successful growth of the Rhododendron, 
that it be planted in peat soil. Shade seems to be of greater 
importance to it than peat. In many situations, having shade, 
a northern aspect, a moist subsoil, contiguity to water, or other 
similar advantage, this plant may be seen growing luxuriantly 
without any portion of peat applied to its roots. On the other 
hand, after proj>er care has been taken to provide peat soil for 
