1868 . ] 
MONTHLY CHRONICLE. 
95 
singly into 2 or 3-incli pots, according to strength, and when well rooted 
to he transferred to a cold pit, and gradually hardened-off so as to bear 
exposure to the open air towards the end of May. They should be planted 
out on a sheltered border in a bed of good compost, not too light, and at a 
maximum distance of 18 inches apart, kept moderately well watered 
through the summer, and encouraged to make as free a growth as possible, 
and then lifted carefully with a good ball of earth early in September, and 
potted in 6 or 8-iiicli pots.. After keeping them in a close pit for a week or 
two, they should be transferred to the stage of a greenhouse or conservatory, 
and they will soon commence to throw up their flower stems. 
Redleaf . John Cox. 
MONTHLY CHRONICLE. 
^|HE useful bedding Pyrethrum, Oolden Feather, comes true from seed, 
hUh so the slower and more tedious process of propagation by cuttings 
can be dispensed with. It keeps its dwarf compact form as well. 
This was illustrated a short time ago by Messrs. E. G. Henderson 
and Son, exhibiting a panfull of it struck from cuttings, and another 
raised from seed. Growers have only to seed from the dwarfest plants, to 
ensure its maintaining its character. 
- Che Stem-pruning of Conifers has lately been recommended by 
Mr. McNab (Gravel., i., 878), with the view of imparting increased vigour to 
the leading shoots. Mr. D. T. Fish ( Gard . Chron., 1867, 1167), in com¬ 
menting on this recommendation, says, “As a rule, don’t adopt it, in 
pleasure grounds,” and he adds that “ One great and charming distinction 
between trees in a park, and trees in a pleasure ground, is, that while the latter should kiss 
the turf, the former should—must, in fact, he pruned up to, or beyond the browsing line. I 
do not find that the extension of the lower branches of Conifers interferes with the growth 
of their leaders, the vertical position of the latter seeming to insure a full flow of sap into 
them. Several of the Ficeas, however, such as P. Pinsapo , P. cephalonica, and P. Norcl- 
manniana, may require occasional branch-pruning, as at times some of these threaten to 
rival the leaders. Such branches may be shortened-back with positive benefit to the tree, 
and this is all the pruning that ought to be given to Conifers in gardens or pleasure grounds. 
- JHtk Stevenson, whose death you recorded last month, devoted 
much attention to the improvement of vegetables. A few months before 
his death he wrote to me thus :—“ I send you the best early Broccoli and the 
best late one. The former (White Cape), I have saved from selected heads 
for fourteen or fifteen years. By saving all the late Mammoth Cauliflowers likely to 
flower, and putting in full-grown early-sown plants into a three-light frame with a little 
bottom heat, I have had either the one or the other for use all the year round. The Wat erloo 
is the very best late Broccoli I have ever seen.” It is unprofitable to seedsmen and per¬ 
plexing to gardeners, to have so many so-called varieties of Broccoli, and it is quite refresh¬ 
ing to think that with only two sorts of Broccoli and one of Cauliflower a succession of 
these can be had throughout the year.—W. M. 
-3Two fine specimens of the Chilian Jubaea spectabilis in the Botanic 
Garden of Montpellier, have perfectly withstood a temperature of 10° F., 
