28 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ February, 
there are many others equally beautiful. From amongst those which I have 
grown, I select B. digswelliensis , B. weltoniensis , and the old B. insignis , and these, 
if properly managed, will answer every purpose. As a pot plant only, I think B. 
weltoniensis is the best, for in addition to producing a profusion of good-shaped, 
rose-coloured flowers, it is more easily kept compact, being naturally dwarf in 
habit and growth, and its foliage, which shines like green silk, is set upon slender 
stems, which are almost of a blood-red colour ; but although this will afford 
a good supply of flowers for bouquets or vases, it does not in this respect 
equal the two other varieties above-named, as it is not a perpetual bloomer, 
which they are, or very nearly so. B. digswelliensis makes short-jointed 
growths, has lively green foliage, and produces flowers at every joint from the 
bottom to the top of the stem in proper succession, so that it makes a very grand 
specimen. B. insignis flowers more at the points of its shoots, and consequently, 
through the stems being weak, the plant has a drooping appearance, but the 
trusses are large, and the flowers almost white ; it flowers more freely in small 
pots than either of the others, and is, I think, the best of the three for furnishing 
cut blossoms, as though but one truss of flowers on each shoot is developed 
at one time, yet others are in sight, and immediately the first is cut, these 
begin to expand, and in a short time are fit to cut also. 
The propagation of these lovely plants for autumn and winter blooming is 
best done successively, commencing in June. The quantity must, of course, be 
regulated by the convenience, and the demand for flowers. It is surprising how 
short a time it takes, after the first potting from the cutting-pan, to grow a fair¬ 
sized blooming plant, and that, too, in a very small pot, which is a great advan¬ 
tage when the plants are required for house decoration. The plants appear to 
thrive in a temperature of from 60° to 70° ; they require no bottom-heat, or at 
least they do very well without it, but they must have plenty of moisture over 
head and at the root, and this should always be applied of the same temperature 
as the house in which the plants are growing. They should have plenty of light, 
but not too much sun. The pots must have good and efficient drainage. The 
soil may be composed of rich turfy loam, with sand and a handful of rotten 
cow manure added, and if it has laid up for twelve months so much the better. 
—Thomas Record, Hatfield House , Herts. 
GARDEN NOTES FOR FEBRUARY. 
|FTER a hot dry summer and a very mild autumn, we have had a winter 
of extraordinary severity. The thermometer here registered 1° F. or 31° 
below freezing on the morning of January 1st, and at no time during the 
day did it rise higher than 12°. I fear many things will have suffered, 
more especially in low districts. Common Laurels have suffered here more than 
any thing else. The severity of the weather has so retarded out-door work, 
that every advantage should now be taken of mild weather in order to bring up all 
