OCTOBER. 
231 
highly favourable to the perfume of those 
black diamonds of gastronomy. A century 
ago the whole of the Truffles annually 
gathered in France did not amount to a 
value of a million francs ; they are said now 
to produce more than 30 millions. Truffles 
are found in almost every part of France, 
and in many departments their collection and 
sale is a great resource to the poor in winter. 
Hitherto it has not been generally allowed 
to collect Truffles in the forests of the State, 
but that prohibition is expected to be shortly 
removed.—( Times .) 
Herb Gardens at Mitcham. —Few people 
are aware of the extent to which various 
herbs are grown in Mitcham and its immedi¬ 
ate neighbourhood, for distillation and other 
purposes. At Mitcham alone 750 acres are 
devoted to their culture. Of this area about 
224 acres are cropped with Peppermint, 175 
with Lavender, 121 with Roses, 60 with 
Chamomile, 30 with Liquorice, 25 with Hen¬ 
bane, and 120 acres with other things of a 
similar character. 
Cinchona Plantations at Darjeeling.— 
Dr. Anderson’s report on the progress of the 
plantations during the month of April, shows 
very favourable results. The growth of the 
CALENDAR 01 
CONSERVATORY AND SHOW-HOUSE. 
From this time the conservatory will be 
used as a promenade, and probably as a work¬ 
ing-room for the ladies in bad weather ; care 
should therefore be taken to have everything 
kept as neat as possible. Avoid crowding the 
house for the present, as many things may 
be kept under temporary shelter; but keep up 
a good stock of sweet plants, with enough 
of plants in bloom to make it attractive. 
GREENHOUSE. 
Azaleas and Camellias .—These will now 
be housed. Pick off decayed leaves, keep 
the plants rather dry, and give plenty of 
air, that the wood may become thoroughly 
ripened, which will make the blooms finer 
next season. Cinerarias .—This is the month 
for progression with this plant. We suppose 
that now there are plants in abundance from 
the early-struck cuttings. Every encourage ¬ 
ment should now be given to aid a free 
growth. Shift such of the early-potted 
plants as are ready into a size larger pots, in a 
compost of equal parts turfy loam and well- 
decomposed stable manure ; leaf mould will 
answer the same purpose should this not be 
at hand. Keep them as near the glass as 
possible, and ventilate freely. As frosts may 
now be expected, it would not be advisable 
to expose them at night. Look well to mil¬ 
dew, and sulphur such as have it. A slight 
fumigating now and then with tobacco will 
be found the best preventive against the 
plants had everywhere been most satisfactory, 
and especially at the lowest plantation; the 
condition of all the species could hardly be 
surpassed, the plants being covered with luxu¬ 
riant foliage, and the largest sending out 
vigorous branches from the axils of the three or 
four upper pairs of leaves. The total number 
of plants and partially-rooted cuttings of all 
species was 49,486 on- the 30th April. The 
number permanently planted out was 3256. 
The number of plants added during the month 
to the number to be retained as stock plants 
was 9820 ; all of these belonging to Cinchona 
officinalis were planted in beds in the open 
air. The increase by cuttings during April 
far exceeded the number obtained since the 
commencement of the experiment, 12,104 cut¬ 
tings of all species were made. None of these 
are buds, only vigorous shoots were used, as 
it was considered preferable to have healthy 
stock than a large monthly increase of cut¬ 
tings taken from over-pruned plants. The 
7214 cuttings made during March had all 
rooted and were ready to be potted off. 
Of the 49,486 plants there were of C. suc- 
cirubra, 10,850; of C. Calisaya, 61 ; C. mi- 
crantha, 1554; C. officinalis and varieties, 
31,929 ; and of C. Tahudiana, 5092. 
OPERATIONS. 
'green fly, which is a great pest in the cultiva¬ 
tion of this plant. {Should compost not be 
prepared, it should be attended to forthwith. 
Give the final shifting to such as are required 
for winter flowering. Hardwooded Plants .— 
These will require placing under the protec¬ 
tion of glass at once. Allow plenty of room 
and all the air you can, to get the wood 
well ripened before winter. Before placing 
them in their winter quarters look to the 
drainage, and have the outsides of the pots 
well washed; no plant can thrive well when 
the surface soil and outside of the pot are 
covered with vegetation. Pelargoniums .— 
These should all be housed without delay, if 
not already done; and, after they are all got 
in, a good fumigation is necessary, to clean 
them thoroughly of green fly. Those plants 
that are intended to flower early, and have 
not received their final shift, more especially 
the specimens that are selected for the early 
exhibitions, must not be delayed. Repot 
young plants as needed. "Water carefully 
when they require it, and shut the house up 
soon in the afternoon ; and towards the end 
of the month, if the weather is damp and 
cold, slight fires will be required at night, so 
as to keep a dry atmosphere; and when the 
weather is fine, an abundance of air should 
be given. 
FORCING. 
Forcing-Ground .—Rhubarb and Sea-kale 
may be started towards the end of the month, 
