THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
202 
are hardened off by degrees. If this is not done, a 
weak and languishing habit of growth is superinduced, 
ending in premature decay. Amateurs should recollect 
that the hotbed is just as fatal to hardy constitutioned 
plants, as our northern climate would be to a tender 
tropical one. Even in germinating seeds, if not well 
acquainted with them, it is safer to use a bottom heat 
of 60° or 70° in preference to 90°. I have sown hardy 
Californian seeds in the latter heat, and they did not even 
vegetate so well as those in a temperature of 50°. In 
germinating seeds, there is no other heat so good as a 
sweet hotbed made of dung and leaves. The full 
rationale of this I am afraid now to enter upon; of the 
fact there can be no doubt. When once fairly up, the 
matters adverted to last week must come under consi¬ 
deration. Here the new beginner is pretty well upon a 
level with the oldest of us. By studying the latitude of 
a plant, and the altitude in which it is found, we may 
come near the general temperature required ; but what 
is wanted is the general highest and general lowest tem¬ 
peratures, with the state of the atmosphere that obtains 
in these circumstances. An insight into these matters 
is worth loads of practical directions. There are few 
new ideas, fewer decided improvements in our art, for 
the instigation of which we jiracticals are not indebted 
to amateurs who had leisure and enthusiasm at their 
command. Here is a large, comparatively untrodden 
field ready for their entering upon. A plant enjoying a 
clear sky, a high temperature, with only a limited supply 
of moisture, will afterwards endure an amount of mois¬ 
ture and cold that would ruin one grown in a cloudier, 
moister air. Hence the true principle of acclimatis¬ 
ing rather tender plants, is to have no more growth 
than the sun can solidify. After the plants are safely 
potted off, the growing temperature must be regulated 
by the considerations adverted to last week ; for though, 
as a broad rule, we were to recommend plants within 
18° of the tropics to be kept in a hot stove, those beyond, 
and to the 20° of latitude, to have a cool stove house, or 
a warm greenhouse, and those for nearly 10° more to 
have a greenhouse; while beyond that, until approach¬ 
ing our own latitude, the plants should he protected in 
cold pits, or against walls ; still we could give no general 
rule; as the altitude, the naturejof the plant, whether 
annual or perennial, deciduous or evergreen, must all 
be taken into consideration, and even then nothing 
certain could be demonstrated until practical details 
have been reached, as plants found in similar circum¬ 
stances often differ as to their hardiness. 
The next thing necessary in germinating such seeds 
is moisture. This is necessary in all cases; we stop not 
here to inquire how, for that has several times been 
referred to, but its application must be given with more 
care in the case of foreign seeds. For instance, here are 
some so horny, shelly, aud hard, that we may bury them 
for months before the shell shall be burst by the embryo, 
because moisture cannot reach it. In such a case, as 
delays are not pleasant, saying nothing of their being 
dangerous, the best plan is to scrape a hole in the shell, 
by means of a file, and then place the seed for a few 
hours in water of a temperature of 100° before sowing. 
Here, again, are a number of seeds from pod-bearing 
plants, each and every of them as hard as a piece of 
Hint; these may be soaked in water of the temperature 
of 130° for a couple of days, or even longer, until the 
moisture has had such free access as to promote the 
swelling of the seed to a certain extent, for if continued 
so long as until vegetation be commenced, it will often 
be injurious from the change effected in moving it into 
soil. But here are a number of seeds, distinguished 
more for softness than hardness, more for smallness 
than largeness, and that you are rather fearful have 
suffered something in vital powers; soak them in water, 
and you save yourselves all further trouble. It can 
[August 7. 
neither be absorbed so quickly without danger, or assi¬ 
milated, and hence it only hastens decomposition. The 
slowness with which moisture is absorbed is their only 
chance of safety. The earth in which they are sown, 
therefore, should be neither damp nor dry, but just the 
happy medium between the two, and from that the seed 
should be allowed to derive all the moisture it requires 
for swelling and bursting its integuments. I have sown 
old and imported seeds in this manner, and scarcely 
had a failure; have sown from the same packet, and 
assisted them with watering, and got not one plant to 
say “thank you” to the water pail. 
The last requisite we mention is air. The husband¬ 
man is aware of this. In any case, but especially if his 
soil is heavy, be will not sow if his land is wet. The 
rearer of plants from foreign seeds should be careful of 
two things, first, that his seeds are sown shallow; and, 
secondly, that the covering should consist of soil of an 
open porous nature. The chief reason for covering is 
to secure moisture. Hence, many adopt the principle 
that that is its only use, and in many examples it would 
seem to be so. Still I do not altogether go that length; 
for once the chemical changes have begun in the seed, 
the action of the sunbeams would accelerate these changes 
too quickly. There is, in such circumstances, a starving 
in the midst of plenty, a greater evolution of gases 
than the embryo can either sustain or assimilate. Be 
that as it may, for much may be said on both sides, I 
hesitate not to give the following rule as respects un¬ 
known seeds. Drain the pots well, fill with porous soil, 
neither wet nor dry, press the seeds slightly on its sur¬ 
face, cover the pot with a square of glass, and on that 
place any opaque substance, such as a piece of paper, or 
a little moss. Set the pot in a shady, warm corner, and 
somewhat moist withal, and if possible let all the mois¬ 
ture given to the seed be derived from surrounding 
media, until the plant appears. The glass will prevent 
evaporation from the soil, and yet allow the admission 
of air: while in such circumstances, the pot will absorb 
quite as much moisture as it parts with, and, therefore, 
the soil will contain just enough slowly to swell the 
integuments. Whether the oxygen necessary for germi¬ 
nation is procured from the atmosphere, or from the 
power which the embryo has of decomposing the water 
with which it comes in contact, are interesting ques¬ 
tions to the man of science. But be the fact how it may, 
the above methods will be found equally successful. 
R. Fish. 
HOTHOUSE DEPARTMENT. 
EXOTIC ORCHIDACEiE. 
ORCHIDS THAT THRIVE WELL IN POTS. 
Peristeria cerina (Wax-like P.); Spanish Main. 
A line plant, with large leaves, and medium-sized deep 
green pseudo-bulbs. The flowers are produced in a 
cluster at the base of the plant. They look like a brood 
of young chickens. The colour is a clear, pale yellow, 
with much the appearance of being made of wax, hence 
the specific name. It is a handsome species, fragrant, 
and worthy of cultivation. 31s. Gd. 
P. elata (Tall P.); Panama.—The flowers of this 
fine plant always please even those who do not love 
flowers generally. When they are open, the top and 
wings of the column have much the appearance of a 
dovu? in miniature, on account of which it is called the 
“ Dove Plant” in this country, and by the natives “ El 
iSpirito Sancto.” The flowers are pure white, with a 
few pinkish spots on the lip; the flower-stems spring 
from the base of the large pseudo-bulbs, and grow four j 
feet high, producing from ten to fifteen flowers, each 
opening in succession, and thus continuing in bloom j 
for six or eight weeks, giving forth all the time an j 
