98 
THE GARDENERS’ AND NATURALISTS’ CALENDAR FOR SEPTEMBER. 
Boses be wanting, or Stocks, Pinks, and Clove Carnations, be absent. Let your odoriferous flowers begin early. 
The Violet will fill the air until the Hyacinth conies to load it with sweet scents; and there is no reason why 
there should be a cessation of perfume until the frost cuts off everything. "We have seen gardens wherein all 
manner of beauties were placed, but the odoriferous plants and flowers were neglected, and for us and thousands 
of others such gardens are divested of half their charms.— Country Gentleman. 
Grass Cloth .—At the Edinburgh Botanical Society meeting, on July 11th, Dr. Cleghorn exhibited a jacket of the 
Grass-cloth of commerce, manufactured from the fibres of the Boehmeria nivea of botanists, the Urtica tenacissima 
of Boxburgh. The plant is cultivated in Sumatra, where Marsden says, “ the shoots are cut down, dried, and 
beaten, after which the rind is stripped off;” the fibres so obtained are of very great strength and fineness. In 
Penang it is likewise cultivated; the Malay name in that island is Rami. Specimens sent to the Agricultural and 
Horticultural Society from Dr. M‘Gowan of Ningpo, were found by Dr. Falconer to correspond exactly with those 
grown in the Botanic Garden of Calcutta, where it had been introduced from Sumatra in the days of Boxburgh, 
with a view to obtaining its valuable fibres. The weight of the jacket above mentioned was five ounces, and it 
cost three rupees. The fabric is coming into increasing consumption in South India, being imported from 
Singapore and China in narrow webs. It is much esteemed for light clothing during the hottest weather. Dr. 
Balfour also exhibited an interesting series of fibres of the same nature, fine and coarse, from different species of 
hemp-nettle. 
IE §S 
FLO WEE GARDEN.—IN-DOOR DEPART¬ 
MENT. 
Conservatory. —Former directions are still available 
here for the early part of the month, but towards the 
end it will be necessary, more especially in the northern 
parts of the country, to prepare for getting the plants 
into their winter quarters. Do not, however, be in a 
hurry ; if it continues fine and not too wet, the plants 
will be best out of doors. Continue to ventilate the 
house very freely both night and day, and discontinue 
shading, as the plants will require all the sun now to 
ripen the wood. Liquid manure may also be dispensed 
with for this season. Get the house thoroughly cleaned 
before the plants are taken in, and, if necessary, clean 
the flues, or repair the hot water apparatus. Have all 
the regular occupants of the house thoroughly cleaned; 
wash the Camellias and Oranges with soap and water, 
to eradicate and also to prevent the spread of scale and 
other insects. A thorough cleaning at the present time 
will save much time during the winter. 
Orangery .—Stiff continue a lively growing temper¬ 
ature, with plenty of air, and syringe daily with clean 
water, unless the weather is very dull. Liquid manure 
may be used once more, giving a good soaking both to 
the borders and pots, but afterwards clean water will be 
sufficient. Some of the forwardest fruit will now begin 
to ripen, and therefore a free circulation of air is neces¬ 
sary to insure fine flavour. If circumstances compel you 
to follow the barbarous practice of turning your Orange 
trees out of doors during the summer, take care to get 
them under cover before the balls are supersaturated 
with the autumnal rains. 
Forcing House. —Get this in readiness to commence 
forcing shortly, and in the mean time it may be filled 
with specimens to give plenty of room to the stove 
plants. Azaleas intended for early blooming cannot have 
the buds too forward at this season; indeed, if they are 
not tolerably strong and plump in the autumn it is vain 
to expect them to bloom early. 
Bulbs. —To flower Hyacinth and other bulbs at 
Christmas, it is indispensable that they be potted before 
the end of the month, and be plunged in some cool 
place, so as to start the roots without influencing the 
tops. To grow them to perfection, they must have a 
light rich soil, and deep pots. Last year we bloomed 
180 kinds of Hyacinths, but out of that quantity we had 
only twenty-five that were suitable for early forcing, and 
many of those were the common well- kn own kinds. 
Polyanthus Narcissus, are bad this season. They have 
been suffering from the attacks of insects for several 
years past, and we have the authority of one of the most 
extensive growers near Haarlem for saying they are in¬ 
ferior. Those who admire Tulips will find the yellow 
Due van Tholl an excellent forcer, and deliciously sweet. 
Routine. —See to the plants intended for forcing. 
Lilacs and Boses may be pruned towards the end of the 
month. Azaleas, Bhododendrons, Ivalmias, &c., should 
be potted early too, so as to get them established, to 
ensure their blooming properly. Proceed with the pot¬ 
ting of Tree and Neapolitan Violets, Pinks, Carnations, 
and Sweet Williams, for early forcing, and attend care¬ 
fully to Mignonette, now just up, and sow another crop 
for succession. A. 
Orchid House .—Look well to all plants that are 
making strong growth. See whether or not you can¬ 
not very much improve upon former years : I think you 
can if you try ; for instance, where you used to water 
such things as Ansellia africana, Cyrtopodiums, Gram- 
matophyllums, Catasetums, Peristerias, and all snch 
strong growing things once overhead, just try the effect 
of three or four times on fine clear days in order to 
throw them into the most complete state of development, 
and then after a proper season of repose, the result 
will be most telling in the quantity of bloom they 
must give. Be cautious in wet weather to keep the 
atmosphere healthy by lighting the fire occasionally, 
in order to keep the air in motion. It will be well to 
inure the plants in this house now to a little more sun¬ 
light both morning and evening, and when the nights 
are cold it will be necessary to make up a little fire 
before going to bed. Avoid, now that the nights are get¬ 
ting long, throwing water about the floors and tables 
after mid-day. 
Stove. —If you intend to excel next year in this de¬ 
partment, let nothing be neglected now, merely because 
the glory in a great measure is departed, but rather to 
compensate for the loss of the beauties that are faded, 
let all be nice and clean. Persevere to get rid of all 
kinds of vermin which increase so fast at this season of 
the year, and recollect if they are allowed to spread un¬ 
molested, as is too frequently the case when the season 
is over, they will be ten times more trouble to keep in 
check in the spring. All Ixoras should be cut over 
