January i. 
COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION. 
239 
shading from hot sun. I have found the generality of 
stove-jilants strike more readily if the bell-glass rest 
upon the bark a little distance from the cutting-pot. 
The moisture arising from the hark seems to support 
the cuttings far better than if the hell-glass fitted within 
the rim of the cuttiiig-pot. After they are rooted, 
pot them off into the cempost, into small pots, and 
rcplunge them into the bark, replacing the bell-glass 
over them for a fortnight till fresh roots are emitted. 
Then gradually harden them by giving air daily, and 
giving loss shade till they will bear full e.xposurc. 
After that subject them to the ordinary treatment of 
established plants, remembering, when the summer’s 
growth is completed, to place it out-of-doors for a few 
weeks to ripen and solidify the wood. 
PoLTK.N.EA EUiooiDES (I'lio ITcath-lcavcd Pultenaca).— 
'I'his very handsome lleath-liko ))lant is a native of 
the banks of the Swan River, in Australia. The seeds 
were sent home by Mr. Drummond and the plant was 
raised and flowered first in the Pine-Apple Nursery, 
Edgware Road. It may be described as a small shrub 
with narrow leaves, like a Heath, and a branchy habit. 
The flowers are pea-blossom-shaped, of a rich, brown 
colour, broadly edged with yellow. 'I'hey are ju’oduced 
in double rows round the stem from the axils of the 
I leaves, and appear, at first, to terminate the shoot; but 
j it soon pushes through, and side-shoots also spring out 
under the flowers. I saw the first flowers open, and 
proj)hecicd that it would prove a first-rate greenhouse 
plant; and so it has proved, though it is, as yet, very 
little known. A good figure of it may bo seen in the 
“ Gardeners’ Magazine of Botany ” for 1851, page 1-15 ; 
but that figure docs not give a full idea of the beauty of 
a well-grown entire plant. 
Culture. —This plant is as easy to grow as any other 
New Holland plant. It requires a good, dry, airy gi'een- 
house, and should be placed near the glass through the 
winter, and when the blooming season is over should 
be ])laced in a close jdt, kept to a temperature of from 
55° to b0°, till its new growths are completed. After 
that it should be placed out-of doors, fully exposed to the 
sun to ripen its wood; care being taken that its roots are 
protected from the fierce rays of the summer's sun, and 
also abundantly supplied with water. The best way to 
keep the roots cool is either to plunge them to the rim 
in coal-ashes, or (which I prefer) to place the pot within 
anotlier larger one, and packed with moss between the 
two pots. 
Propagation- —It is easily propagated by inserting 
half-ripened young shoots in sand, in May, and placing 
the cutting-])ot on a cool, shaded surface, under a bell- 
glass, there to remain till callosed, and then removed 
into a gentle heat to force out the roots. As soon as 
roots are formed the plants should be potted off, and 
placed in a cool I'lame, and densely shaded for a few 
days, till fresh roots are emitted. After that, less shade 
and more air to be given, till the plants are able to bear 
full exposure. 
Soil. —Like nearly all jdants i'rom that countiy, this 
plant loves a light, peat soil, with j)lcnty of silver-sand 
mixed amongst it. The ))ots should be weU drained, 
and the soil })ressed firmly down in the pot. Light 
pulling docs not suit it. 
This plant has one advantage over many others, it 
scarcely ever requires stopping or training, but naturally 
forms a handsome, dense bush. I consider every green¬ 
house ought to have a specimen of it. 
T. Ai’plehy. 
MATS, OTHER COVERINUS, AND TYING 
MATLRIAI-S. 
Like all classes of the great British community, we 
think ourselves injured by the war that is w'aging in 
the East. Garden mats, so necessary an article for 
winter covering, as well as for tying u|), are no longer 
so plentii'ul as tltey once weie. Their principal source 
is, to a certain extent, sealed up to all but a clandestine 
or circuitous commerce, which, of course, adds con¬ 
siderably to the cost of such as find their way here; 
and the article in question docs not attract sufficient 
attention to bo regarded as one of national importance 
worth endeavouring to obtain a supply from home 
manufacture. In fact, I question much if the raw 
material could be grown in this country to the perfection 
necessary for that purpose. 
Under these circumstances, we must substitute such 
other protcedng materials as we have, and get our 
tying substance elsewhere as w'ell. The latter promised 
to be (piite accomj)lished, several years ago, by the Cuba 
hast mat, which, if had in sufficient quantity and cheap 
enough, w'ould do very well; but either the supply 
must be limited, or it may not have attracted the atten¬ 
tion of traders, for certain it is that it is not so plentiful 
as to meet the wants of the gardener and others. 
Some hempen material seems the only substance that 
is likely to be made subservient to the wants of the 
case, aided h}'^ what matting can be had. But, as there 
must be some covering or other wanted, we must see what 
can be done in other ways than by mats. Reeds seem 
the most likely thing to answer where coverings of 
tolerable thickness are wanted, and a sort of skeleton 
I'ranie made to the size wanted will suit best, the reeds 
being laid on to the thickness of an inch-and-a-half, or 
more, as may be thought necessary, and tightly bound 
on by cross-pieces and string fastenings, taking care 
tha,t the reeds are laid in the direction for the wet to 
run off. Straw will do in place of reeds ; but not so 
well, as it is not so durable, but it answers very well. 
Better than either, however, are good wooden shutters, 
which have also the good property of lasting several 
years, and are moved off and on with less danger of 
breakage than thalched frame-work ; besides which, in 
very severe weatlicr, where, perhap.s, the thermometer 
may be some twenty or more degrees below' the freezing 
point. Rough litter of some kind or other may be 
heaped on to any extent to keep out the frost; this is 
on the supposition that the shutters above named are 
covering some glass structure not otherwise heated. In 
market-gardens, large quantities of straw, in the shape 
of loose litter, are used at night for covering up frames; 
but the amateur, who has only one or two such frames, 
will find it inconvenient to cover them u[) at night 
in that way, as the liability of stones and other heavy 
things to get in amongst the litter makes the breakage 
of glass an almost certain matter every now-and-then, 
except with those whose long and extensive experience 
enables them to judge tolerably well in the handling 
whether it coutains any i'oreign substance or not, 
and proportionate care is taken accordingly; besides 
which, it is a dirty thing next the glass, and to sweep 
every morning is not unlikely to remove much 
of tiie putty that is partially loose, but which might 
have done duty I'or a long time to come if left alone. 
Oil-olotk coverings are very good, still they are not 
suliiciont without something else in addition; and the 
new article, “frigi dumo,” though, likely enough, good 
in its way, is too thin for general juirposes where 
warmth is required. 
Now, I have long been of opinion that something 
better than anything heretofore tried might be made 
for coverings for our numerous frames, tiie. ; assuredly 
some coarse w'oven material, rendered water-jiroof by 
some simple and inexpensive process, might be made 
available to our use. Oould not Cocoa, fibre be worked 
up into something that would both wear well and keep 
out frost and w'et, and, not being so expensive as hempen 
or woollen fibres, it would come cheaper, bulk for bulk. 
