March 10. 
THE COTTAGE GAEDENER 
413 
tliird or fourth time he waters his jdauts. The most 
stimulating liquid-manure is that made with guano; 
half-a-pint of this powerful agent will be abundance for 
a gallon of water. It should be mixed with the water 
at least six hours before using; but as every amateur 
cannot procure guano conveniently, very excellent liquid- 
manure may bo made with various manures. When 1 
was a grower of the Pine-apple 1 used the following 
ingredients:—A peck of fowls’ dung, a shovelful of soot, 
and a quart of quick lime, all mixed together in ten 
gallons of hot water. This mixture was well stirred 
amongst the water, and set out-of-doors to cool and 
settle. The soot and lime killed all sorts of insects that 
might be in the dung, and also any worms that might 
he in the soil in which the Pines were growing—indeed, 
I was seldom troubled with worms after the first appli¬ 
cation. The liij^uor, when cooled and settled, was of a 
rich brown colour, and caused the plants to grow finely, 
and produce broad leaves of a dark green healthy colour. 
This kind of liquid-manure anybody may easily make, 
llie materials for it are so plentiful in almost every 
locality. Where fowls’ dung cannot be obtained, then 
procure sheep or horse-dung; but these should be 
allowed to stand in the water for a day or two before 
using, to macerate the dung completely in it, stirring it 
up frequently, so as to abstract all the ammonia, and 
other nourishing ingredients in the manure. Care must 
be taken not to use it too strong; it is better to be 
l ather weak than otherwise. In very hot sunshine the 
paths and walls of the house should bo flooded with 
water, to keep up a due supply of moisture in the air. 
In the evening of such a day the plants will be greatly 
benefited by a gentle shower from the syringe. 
Air is one of the indispensable elements for those 
plants. It should be given unsparingly, whenever the 
outside atmosphere will admit of it. In the warm 
months of May and June a little air should bo given 
even during the night. 
Insects. —'I'lie insect most troublesome to the Pelar¬ 
gonium is the green lly, or aphis. This is easily de¬ 
stroyed by tobacco smoke, but it should not bo too 
strong, nor ever allowed to break into a flame. The 
leaves at this season are young and tender, and, con¬ 
sequently, liable to be scorched. Five minutes’ neglect 
in this particular would so injure the plants, besides 
rendering them unsightly, as would take mouths to 
repair the mischief. It is much safer to smoko the 
house gently two or three times on consecutive nights 
than to run the risk of burning the leaves by too strong 
a dose of smoke at once. 
The House to grow specimen Pelargoniums in.—Who¬ 
ever intends to compete for prizes should devote a house 
entirely to these plants. A lean-to or shed-formed house 
will grow them pretty well. Mr. Turner, of Slough, 
and Mr. Bragg, of the same place, grow their specimen 
plants in houses of this form; but they have a con¬ 
siderable amount of trouble in turning the plants round 
frequently to keep every side in full foliage. If this 
was not done the plants would be one-sided. And the 
amateur who has no choice, but must grow his plants 
in a house of this form, should turn them round at least 
once a week, especially after the blooms make their 
appearance. Even with this care the plants cannot 
make such handsome perfect specimens as those grown 
in a house of the form I am about to describe. This 
house will bo perfectly understood at once when I 
mention that it is a span-roofed one. In a house of 
that form, and of moderate width, the plants grow on 
every side alike, and the colours of the blooms will bo 
greatly heightened. The roof should not be at a sharp 
angle, but rather flat than otherwise. 'Phere should bo 
a centre stage, just wide enough to hold three rows of 
plants, one row in the centre, and a row on each side, 
placed in the alternate spaces between the central jjlants. 
'Ihe grand point to attend to is, never to have the plants 
crowded; each should stand quite alone. If they grow 
so large as to touch each other, one or two must be 
sacrificed to make room for the rest. A walk of sufli- 
cient width should run round the stage, and next to it a 
[)latform next the front windows will be very uselul. 
On tills platform young plants may be grown, or a row 
of the dwarf fancy varieties. This platform is not in¬ 
dispensable. ’The house should be heated with hot- 
water, with suliicient piping to keep out tlie frost in the 
severest winter. T. ArimuBY. 
{To he continued.) 
CONlFERiE. 
SnD—SECTION OF PIN US, WITH UEAVES THREE IN A 
SHEATH. 
{Conlhiued from puge 404). 
PiNus LONGiFOLiA (Long-leaved Piue).—Very properly 
named loiuj-leaved, for the leaves are often a foot long, 
and hang down gracefully from the branches. A Nepaul 
species, but rather tender, requiring, north of Loudon, 
the protection of the greenhouse or conservatory. In 
its native habitats it attains a great size, reaching often 
fully 100 feet high. In the southern counties, and also 
in Ireland, it has braved successfully the winter’s storms, 
and is such a graceful tree that it is worthy of every 
attention to preserve it, should an old-fashioned winter 
come upon us. 
PiNUS JIACROCA'RPA (Bioadlj-hookcd Pine).—A noble, 
handsome tree from California, where it grows from 80 
to 100 feet high. ’The most remarkable distinction in 
this species is its cones, which are very large. Its scales 
are four inches long, and nearly as broad at the base; 
and each scale is furnished with a strong hook—hence 
its English name. 'The leaves are long, and of a greyish 
hue when old; but in a young state have a rich violet 
bloom upon them. As it is quite hardy, it should be 
planted largely as soon as the price is moderate. ’The 
timber is said to be of excellent quality. 
PiNUs PATULA (Spreading Pine).—’This has been sup¬ 
posed to be too tender to bear our climate, excepting in 
some favoured spots and in Ireland; but our readers will 
recollect that 1 described a fine specimen I saw in a gar¬ 
den near Northampton. That plant had been planted 
about seven years, and had had no protection, yet it was 
perfectly healthy, and had never suii'ered from frost. As 
it is a most elegant, light, aerial looking tree, it is 
worthy of a more extended cultivation. It is a native 
of the Real del Monte, in Mexico, and grows GO to 70 
feet high. ’There is a variety with the foliage erect, but 
I never saw it. 
PiNus PONDEHOSA (Heavy-wooded Pine).—'There is a 
considerable resemblance in this tree to tlie i'. qdnaslcr, 
the diflbreucc consisting in this species growing quicker, 
the leaves being longer and the wood much heavier; in¬ 
deed, it is so heavy as to sink in water. Then the buds 
are sliarp-pointed, and do not exhibit any resinous exuda¬ 
tion. 'The brandies are in whorls round the stem, and 
when of a considerable size droop at the ends. 'The 
leaves are not so persistent as in most other Pines, hence 
they only clothe the ends of the shoots, giving them a 
tufted appearance. Its groat recommendation is that of 
being a remarkably handsome tree, and as hardy as the 
common Highland Pine. It is a native of the north- | 
west coast of America, where it attains the height of : 
100 feet. Every Pinetum of any magnitude should have j 
one or two of this fine tree, but on account of the great ! 
weight of the branch it should be sheltered from the i 
strong west winds. 
PiNus RADiATA (Radiated-scalod Pine).—Mr. David 
Don has so-named this very handsome Pine; but Mr. 
Hartweg considers it only a variety of P. insignis, to which 
