34 
THE FLOKIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[MARCH; 
and several large old Plum trees against a 
damp east wall. The result altogether was 
eminently satisfactory. 
The trees were in no way injured, and were 
singularly free from the attacks of their usual 
insect enemies throughout the season. The 
green and black aphis were quite kept in 
check by this very simple and economical 
application, which was put on with a large 
white-wash brush, with the occasional use of 
an ordinary paint brush. —Wm. Ingkam, Belvoir 
Castle Gardens, Feb. 10th, 1882. 
CINERARIA CULTURE. 
II. —Fkom Seeds. 
I N raising Cinerarias for the decoration of 
the conservatory and indoor apartments, 
seed-sowing should be invariably resorted 
‘ to in the case of the single varieties, for 
seedlings can be obtained in large numbers 
with but little trouble, and when grown with a 
fair amount of skill are of a suitable size for 
decorative purposes. 
To obtain plants, seeds of the best quality 
should be obtained, and sown in shallow well- 
prepared pans, having about one-third of their 
depth made up with medium-sized crocks, then 
covered with a layer of flaky leaf-mould or 
some such material, and then nearly level 
with the rim with a mixture similar to that 
recommended for the offsets, but made some¬ 
what finer. Press the soil firmly, make the 
surface perfectly level, and sow the seed 
thinly, to avoid the necessity for transplanting 
until the seedlings have attained to a size 
convenient for handling. Cover very lightly 
with very fine soil or sand, and sprinkle with 
water to settle the soil. The seed pans must, 
after the seed has been sown, be placed in a 
pit or frame in which a close and humid 
atmosphere can be maintained. In any case, 
it is essential to effectually screen them from 
sunshine until the plants are well above the 
surface. Special attention may well be directed 
to this point, because of the many failures 
that occur annually, owing to the seed pans 
and pots being too much exposed. 
If plants are required to flower during the 
autumn for decorative purposes a beginning 
must be made early in May, but if not 
required till the beginning of the year it will 
not be necessary, or indeed desirable, to sow 
the seeds until the second or third week of 
June. 
The seedlings must not be weakened by 
being kept in too close an atmosphere. 
Therefore, as soon as they begin to make 
their appearance above the surface, admit a 
little air, and increase the ventilation as they 
gain in strength. But the ventilation must 
not be too liberal, especially during the hottest 
part of the day, as the seedlings make at this 
stage a much more rapid progress when the 
atmosphere is rather close and well charged 
with moisture. Shading must, as a matter of 
course, be employed during periods of bright 
weather, unless the frame is in a shaded 
position. As soon as large enough to handle, 
and before they are much crowded, prick them 
off into other pans, prepared in much the 
same manner as advised for those in which 
the seed is sown, but the loam should be 
used in a rather rougher state. To avoid 
injury to the roots, lift with a piece of pointed 
stick, and dibble them in carefully, and put 
them about an inch apart each way. Then 
water moderately, and place them in a pit, 
and keep close and shaded for ten days or so. 
A light shading during periods of bright 
weather will be requisite throughout the 
summer season, and shading must, therefore, 
be continued ; but at the end of the period 
mentioned, they will have become sufficiently 
rooted to admit of the frame being ventilated 
without any risk of their receiving a check. 
As soon as the leaves begin to touch, the 
plants should be potted separately into small 
sixties. From the small pots shift into others 
five inches in diameter, as soon as the roots 
begin to run freely round the sides of the ball, 
and, with the exception of those required in 
bloom at the earliest possible moment, shift 
into pots one size larger, at the end of Decem¬ 
ber or the beginning of January. — J. James, 
Redlees, Isleworth. 
NOTES ON CYPEIPEDIUM. 
THE genus Cypripedium or Lady’s Slipper, 
i is, in my opinion, one of the most 
gjTS useful families amongst the Orchi- 
^ daceous plants. In a collection there 
are always some of them in flower. It is, 
moreover, no small advantage that they last 
so long a time when cut; in a vase with their 
