COLLECTIONS AND RECOLLECTIONS. 
505 
shake the water well within, and after this blow it out. The water 
will clear your eggs of any remains of yolk or white which might 
remain after blowing. If once sucking up of water will not suffice, 
make a second oi a third. If the outside of the shell be dirty, wash 
it with soap and water, with a nail brush. Then, to prevent the thin 
white membrane from corrupting, fill a wine-glass with a solution of 
corrosive sublimate in alcohol or spirits of wine; draw up some of 
this into it in the same way as you did the water, shake it and blow 
it out again, and it is beyond the reach of corruption. All the white 
and spotted eggs may now be sparingly washed over with a coat of 
copal varnish, by means of a camel’s hair pencil. But for green or 
blue eggs gum arabic must be used, as varnish is apt to injure their 
colour. 
Culture of the Musa sapienta and paradisiaca.— To T. 
K. S. page 427. The culture of the Musa is attended with little 
difficulty. After taking off the suckers, plant them in large pots, in 
a soil composed of one-third of rich sandy loam, and two-thirds of a 
mixture of vegetable mould, well rotted dung, and sandy peat. Give 
them, whilst young, a temperature of from 60 to 70 degrees. When 
they come into flower, apply the pollen to the stigma, by means of a 
small feather. This should always be done when the air of the house 
is pretty dry, and then they not uncommonly produce their fruit 
pretty well. Never cut off any of the leaves until they are withered, 
for if cut off too soon, the plants bleed excessively, and the growth 
of the succeeding leaves is greatly weakened. The leaves are also 
very easily split, which if done greatly retards the growth of the 
plant. After they have been impregnated, they may be placed in a 
warmer part of the stove, where they will get from 70 to 80, or even 
85 degrees ; they will require no bottom heat, and may have plenty 
of air in fine w r eather, and a good supply of water. Much depends 
upon the roots having abundance of room, and being well supplied 
with water, in order to their perfecting fruit. When in a healthy 
growing state, the leaves of M. paradisiaca will grow 8 or 9 feet long, 
and those of the Banana (M. sapientum) something larger. 
Culture of Blue Hydrangeas.— I see at page 234, that there 
is still an enquiry relative to growing blue hydrangeas. It is my 
firm opinion, that let the soils or treatment be what they may, if the 
plants be grown in pots, no one can depend on having fine blue flow¬ 
ers. I have had some of the finest plants, which bore a profusion of 
very fine blue flowers ; several persons begged cuttings, supposing 
them to be of a different sort: others felt anxious to be informed of 
the peculiar treatment they received, &c. I will endeavour briefly 
