380 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Makch 23, 1858. 
are shut up at night, a high temperature kept up then, 
and the effects of that neutralised by next thing to 
opening the house during the day, when a high tem¬ 
perature from the sun could do comparatively little 
harm, we may be just excused for thinking, that, 
whatever the results, they are not distinguished in the 
economical as to the means. 
I have said much on the above case, yet I must 
not pass by the complaints about Cinerarias losing 
their leaves, by shrivelling and drying up; large 
Calceolarias doing the same, and getting covered 
with green fly ; forced Azaleas having their flowers 
i appear as if they were scorched; Camellias dropping 
j their buds; and Pelargoniums, Dielytras, Primulas, 
Salvias, &c., flagging and curling their leaves, even 
when in all the cases the soil seemed moist enough. 
The other week I mentioned, that this would fre¬ 
quently take place, when bright sunshine succeeded 
dull weather, and that the syringe and the shade were 
the best remedies. No doubt, however, such appear¬ 
ances as the above, in cold frosty weather, are often 
owing to the same cause as parched up the Peach 
blossom. In addition to a sufficiency of moisture at 
the roots, a cooler temperature at night, and a moister 
and closer atmosphere during the day, would have 
prevented all such appearances. Here is a nice little 
greenhouse : the night temperature is kept from 45° to 
50°, if there is a cutting wind, and from 12° to 20° of 
frost outside; what does that matter, when there is 
plenty of fuel ? Well, 50° or rather more is reached, 
and the succulent leaves of the Cineraria begin to feel 
the sucking moisture powers of the dried air. It is 
very cold next morning, and a strong lire is applied, 
that of itself would raise the house higher, and with¬ 
out neutralising agencies, in the way of evaporating 
moisture, would dry the atmosphere of the house still 
more. The sun shines brightly; the temperature of 
the house rises rapidly ; and to keep that down, down 
goes the lights for a foot or eighteen inches, that the 
dry keen cold air may rush in, because what was for¬ 
merly inside was not dry enough already. No mere 
root-absorbing power could meet at once such sudden 
changes, and leaves and buds become irreparably 
injured; and yet, for all this firing and airing, the 
operator may quote chapter and verse, and myriads of 
authorities. The treat may yet be in store for me, but 
as yet I have never seen large flowering Calceolarias— 
those generally grown in pots, that were thus roasted 
at one time, and permeated by freezing dry air the 
next—that were really worthy of being looked at, free 
i from insects, and with fine green healthy foliage, ex¬ 
tending far beyond the rim of the pots. I hope that 
a few may just perceive, that in cold frosty bright 
weather they may keep their plants as healthy, if they 
use rather less fuel at night; and though giving air 
j early, give much less than they have been in the habit 
of doing in cold frosty days. In such circumstances, 
growing fleshy-leaved Calceolarias would be better a 
little under 40° at night than above it; and provided a 
little air was given early, so that the foliage would 
generally be dry before the sun shone strongly on 
them, a rise of 20° or more at midday would do less 
I harm than abundance of a dry freezing air. A cool 
| moist substance, for the pots to stand upon, will be in 
their favour. For want of these simple precautions in 
their cause, and using water too warm, these beautiful 
i flowers cost frequently more than their after appear- 
J ance is worth, for tobacco and smoking alone. 
R. Fish. 
INGA PULCHERRIMA. 
How seldom we see a plant of this lovely stove shrub well 
bloomed. At the best, I confess it to be rather difficult 
to bloom well; but, under proper management, it is quite 
possible to flower it respectably. Nothing can possibly sur¬ 
pass its elegance, when well flowered. Its fantastic-shaped 
balls of crimson, resembling the plume of feathers on the 
head of a tropical bird, contrasting so beautifully with its 
graceful Mimosa-like foliage. On the whole, it is not quite 
so difficult to manage as the Bugainvillosa , mentioned by 
Mr. Beaton; but we may safely class it amongst those things 
which are difficult to bloom well. A plant at this place I 
annually succeed in blooming pretty well by giving it, what I 
may safely call, “rough treatment.” As soon as the wood is 
pretty well ripened, I remove it into a cold house, exposing it 
fully to the sun ; here I allow it to remain until February— 
the thermometer occasionally being nearly down to the freezing 
point—giving just sufficient water to keep it in existence. I 
then remove it into a new-started vinery for a few weeks, 
subjecting it to the same treatment as the Vines, until its 
buds are nicely burst; then remove it into the stove, where 
it remains until blooming commences. 
I think it scarcely possible to bloom young plants; I would, 
therefore, suggest that the plant be grown on as rapidly as 
possible. Never prune. Tie down the strong branches. 
When you have obtained a good-sized bush, say five feet high 
and three feet through, then subject it to the “cramping 
system,” confining its roots, as mucli as possible, with rough 
treatment. I am inclined to suppose that, in many instances, 
too much “ coddling ” is the principal cause of its blooming so 
shyly.— John Edlington, Winch Ho use , Seacomhe , Cheshire % 
STOCKING A MARINE TANK. 
I should like such of our aquarium readers who give their 
attention to marine objects, to succeed in keeping them free 
from the many annoyances, and failures, that are apt to beset 
this department of in-door aquatics. To say that the affair is 
quite simple, is to lead people astray ; for in truth there is a 
great deal to learn, and much of the rationale of management 
is beyond the region of mere book teaching. Except in spots 
near the sea, too, marine aquaria are attended with consider¬ 
able expense, as I find, by a review of the costs I have myself 
incurred, during the past three or four years. Having watched 
very closely the way in which mishaps occur, and being con¬ 
stantly in receipt of letters from correspondents, describing 
all sorts of successes and failures, I think there is no possible 
difficulty which may occur, the cause of which I cannot 
detect, and, at the same time, determine on a remedy. Now 
that we have got over the preliminaries, let us consider the 
safest method of setting up a marine tank. 
The first question that may arise, is, as to artificial versus 
real sea water, and though I have said much in praise of the 
substitute, and have nothing to retract, the time is gone by 
for any further recommendation of it, for, as a matter of 
course, the real thing is the thing, and one gallon from the 
reservoir of Neptune is worth fifty from the chemist and the 
water-butt. When the compound was first introduced, on 
the recommendation of Mr. Gosse, it was in great request, 
and proved really serviceable, but the demand for sea water 
lias resulted in such a perfect organization for its supply, that 
Neptune has utterly triumphed. It should be known, there¬ 
fore, that sea water may be had from the dealers in aquaria, at 
the rate of sixpence a gallon, and as it travels any distance in 
stone bottles, students living in the most distant parts may 
obtain it easfly. But we must not dismiss the chemical sub¬ 
stitute without, at least, a word. Those who use it must not 
trust any living creature to it, till it has undergone some little 
preparation. It should be prepared in a clean vessel, and 
either spring or river water will do for the purpose. A pound 
is reckoned to make three gallons, but the only proper way of 
determining its strength, is by means of a specific gravity 
bead on a hydrometer of very low register, so as to indicate 
T028. There are two kinds of beads, one to float when the 
water is of a proper strength, the other sinks; and which¬ 
ever be used, it must indicate to a nicety the exact density. 
I use both kinds in tanks containing delicate objects, as the 
slightest deviation from the true standard might prove fatal. 
I he moment the floating bead has a tendency to sink, I know 
the water is as weak as it should be, and if the sinking one 
