58 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
intense purplish red. To produce this, the great object was to extend the protru¬ 
sion of the flower-stalk, so that it might become of great strength. The compost 
employed was of the most nutritive and stimulating kind, consisting of one part of 
unfermented horse-dung, fresh from the stable, and void of litter, one part of 
burnt turf, one part of decayed leaves, and two parts of green turf—the latter 
being in lumps of about an inch in diameter, in order to keep the mass so hollow 
that the water might have free liberty to escape, and the air to enter. The seeds 
were sown rather late in the spring, and the plants put at first into pots of 
4 inches in diameter, and then transplanted to others a foot in diameter, the 
object being to avoid the compression of the roots as having a tendency to make 
plants flower freely. 
The results of this experiment were of this nature, that no plant could be more 
fully or fitly organised. The vast amount of food stored up in the fresh droppings, 
and the heat of the bed, varying from 70° to 100°, were such conditions, as com¬ 
bined with prudence, resulted in the production of this leviathan. 
Half-hardy Annuals. —There are few plants more interesting and beautiful 
than those which make up this large and extensive family, consisting as it does 
of flowers of all hues and shapes, and having the greatest diversity of fragrant 
perfumes. 
We think that the novitiate who is about to commence this, cannot do better 
than apply to any one of the great seedsmen, for their list; and having obtained 
this (which is easily done) he will proceed to make a plan. 
Waiting till about the middle of April, he will then think of sowing his seeds, 
and for this purpose we should advise 24-sized pots, using one packet of seeds to 
each pot; when sown, they may be placed under glass carefully, and when up 
removed out. The plants in the pots should not be allowed to become too thick, 
but must be watched. 
Towards the middle of April will be the time for planting out—we should keep 
the plants thin in their pots, and plant them out in circles of 1 foot or 1 foot 
6 inches in diameter. Each circle for planting should be lightly watered with a 
rose before planting, again after it, and constantly of an evening. 
Hardy Annuals. —We now pass from the half-hardy to the hardy annuals, 
and’find them to be a numerous family, distinguished from their brethren by 
being cultivated without transplanting. The mode which is usual is generally in 
rings, or circles, of about an inch deep. G-reat care should be taken not to dis¬ 
tribute the seeds too thickly, as the woolly matter among them is apt to engender 
damp, and injure the young plants. As soon as the plants can be distinguished, 
they should be gone over and regularly thinned; this is an operation of the 
greatest importance to their success, and upon its being well or ill performed, 
depends the beauty and perfection of the crop. 
We think it right to mention that we have grown the half-hardy annuals, 
Schizanthus retusus and pinnatus, to very fine plants, dwarf bushes, 1 yard over, 
and most handsomely covered with flowers. The temperature of a Peach-house 
is well suited for their cultivation. 
There are many annuals which are capable of much improvement by being 
judiciously grown, shifting them freely in rich light compost. The stopping of 
them has, too, an important influence on their growth, and should be constantly 
aitended to in their culture. The thinning of hardy annuals, too, is very impor¬ 
tant in their culture ; if left too thick, they only become paralysed, and make poor 
weak things. 
Amersham. Henry Bailey, C.M.B.H.S. 
DWARF FRUIT-TREE ROOT-PRUNING. 
There is a great mistake current among dwarf fruit-tree growers, arising in 
most instances from the books published on the subject. I have found a great 
many this autumn practising what they call root-pruning trees which have been 
planted two years, in many instances without their having made even a medium 
