ré ■iri;:!
k
m
with a sin g u lar smell like th a t of th e anise. I t is a native of
most p a rts of E urope, in woods, copjiiccs, an d sheltered lanes,
partie.ularly in a clayey soil. Tlie flowers of th e wild p lan t
a rc almost always oi" a brimstone colour, b u t soiuetimcs o f a
p u rp le h u e ; th ey appear in March and AprU.
-C om m o n yellow; w h ite ; red, o r c rim so n ; red,
with enlarged an d p a rtially coloured c a ly x ; o xlip p rim rose,
tb a t is. a primrose be arin g its flowers on a common
footstalk lik e the oxlip.
Double.— Yellow; white ; d in g y ; lila c ; crim so n ; c a rm in e ;
or very d a rk crimson.
5459. Q'he Cowslip (P . v ir is L. (E n g . Mot. 5.) Primel, Fr.
an d SMUsselblumc. Ger.) (fig. 914.) is dUtinguislied from the
p rimrose, b y smelling more strongly o f anise, by shorter
leaves, an d by an umb e l w ith a leafy iiivolucrum. I t is a
native plant, an d found in moist pastures, in opeu situations,
flowering in May.
Varielias. Both double an d single varieties a rc in esteem ;
b u t th e p la u t has n o t been so m u c h cultivated as th e pnmrose.
Gibbs, nurseiyman , Brompton, raised. In 1818, a g rea t m any
very beau tifu l varieties from seed, differing in colour, mag-
n itu d e o -rt f th e umbel. î . . . --------o-K b»e.-i.n.rgo .diroublo, a n d in t)” *
hosellii-liose form'.' “ H e raiscd'tiiem frmn the seed of plants,
o riginally derived from th e wUd cowslip, which had sported
in to varieties, an d b y freq u en t reproduction reduction attain ed tl
th o ir
presen t excellence._ T h e A a n g e s th a t have ta,kcii pli
------- o - -la* *akcii place are
n iitude of th e trasses, a n d th e size an d colour of th e
nowcra; th e selection ap p earing to have been from th e d a rk e r
hu e s, th o u g h some p aler flowers were In. th e collection.
However g reat th e variation was iu tlie points alludetl to, yet
n one o f th e specimens appeared to have lost th e gen eral char
a c te r an d appearance of the cowslip, u o t ru n n in g e ith er in to
th o o xlip or th e p rim ro se ; b u t some o f th em h a d becomo what
florists te rm hosc-in-hose, w liich appears to be th e conversion,
m o re or less, of th e calyx, into the appearance o f th e coroUa.”
T h e most notable n a tu ra l variety o f th e cowslip is th e old
v arie y (noticed in Card. Mag., vii. 125. 247.) which has its
corolla so mu ltip lied as to fo rm a fu ll flower lik e th a t of a
d oub c rose.
5440. I'he Oxlip (P . eldtior L. (Eng. Bot. 518.) Bavitton,
F t . a n d Gartenprtniel, Ger.) (Jig. 916.) is distinguished from
th e primro•ossee bbyy iittss mmaannyy--fflloow’ ered' scape ; a n d from the
cowslip, b y th e flat b o rd er of th e corolla. I t is found in
woods, thickets, liedgcs, an d sometimes in p a stu res; b u t is by
no means so common as th e primrose an d cowslip. I t flowers
in A p ril an d May. Sir J . E. Smith is inclined to th in k tliat
tlie oxlip is a liy b rid production from a primrose, impreg.
iiatod b y a cowslip; its hab it, th e contraction towards tht
mid d le of the leai; an d tho umbellate flowcr-stalk, indicating;
tlio fa tlie r; wliilst in tile corolla, its form, colour, an d scent
i t most resembles the mother. (E n g . Bo t., 515.)
Varieties. T h ere are a few ; b u t tlie p la n t has n o t been
mu ch cultivated witli a view to tb a t object.
The proixagation a n d cidture o i these th re e species aro the
samo as for t\ie polyanthus. (Sec j). 1046.)
5441. The Lupine is a w ell known a n d n io st b e autiful genus
o f herbaceous plants, an d most o f th e species are as h a rd y and
o f as easy c u ltu re as th e common bean. In tiic Hortus B r itannicus
above twenty species a rc enumerated, seeds o f most
or all of which may b e obtained in the seed shops, ami especially
o f Mr. Charlwood, o f Tavistock Row, Covcnt Garden.
5442. The Hydrangea is rep u ted to b e a native of Cliina and
J ap an , whence it was introduced to Kew, b y Sir J . Banks, in
1788. I t is mu ch valued as a ch amber p lan t, and, in coii-
sequeuco, extensively cultivated n e ar London an d most large
towns o f Europe. Soon a fte r i t was introduced, somc plants
were found with bluo flowers, w hich some suppojcd to be ¡iro-
dueed b y salt o r saltpetre, and others b y oxide o f iron. The
yellow loam of Hampstead h e ath and some o th e r places, and
some sorts of p eat e a rth are found to produce th is effect; b u t
th e cause is n o t y e t ascertained. Dr. Daaleii, o f Antwerp, finds
th• a t• tu r-f as■h es, an d■ still m ore e frtfrtc--c—tu a lh ...-.-..-.-.-..o..f..th e Norway
spruce, tho wood generally used as fu el by h im , applie
• ' ’ ' - i r of th ep cta li
roots o fth e hyd ran g e a, produced tiie bluo coloi
(Ilo rt. Tour, p. 12^.) According to an emiiic
' ga rd en er '
Russia, tlie finest b lu e is produced by p lan tin g tlio hydrangea
____________o f clay an d a p eculiar so rt o f bog e arth , wliich is
found in tile n e ig liteu rh o o d o f St. Pe tersburg. Tlio two soils
a re in tim ately mixed, an d are passed th ro u g li a line sieve.
Another mode practised b y th e same g a rdener is, to ad d one
table spoonful o f a lum to as mu ch common garden e arth as
will fill a p o t ab o u t 7 in . b y 10 in . ; b u t th e b lu e so produced
is never so perfect as tb a t from tiie bog e a rth and clay. Busch
o f St. Petersburg, an d a writer in th e Ho rticultural Register,
also assert th a t tn e h y drange a will be tu rn ed blue by watering
th e v o u n ? nlan t, th e summ er before, w ith a lum water. Tiie
•ed soil, u n d e r the black moor e a rth a t St. Potcrs-
.u -ro u ------------ rtrt—. v-=--------- ibincd
Busch observes, has th e same effect, being com
w ith aluminous salt. (Hort. Trans., vol.iv. p .5080 A '
in t_h_e_ _H__or_t . RReeggiisstteerr ffiinnddss tthhaatt ppoottttiinngg iiin a mix tu re of
landy
loam an d fresh slicep’s dung, an d watering with a
th a t dung, produces tiie same effect; and a n o th er in th e same
work, th a t cultivating tile p lants iu sandy peat and Matering
th em tw ice a week witfi an infusiou of th a t m a te ria l,is effectual.
T iu the Gardener's Magazine, vol. ii. p. 405., h.ad succeeded
b y using e arth so imp reg n ated with oxide of iron, th a t,
wheu watered’ , a... .r.c..d’ o—x’i d’e- f illllt. e rc d fro ra it. Th e soil killed his
melon plan ts, b u t tu rn ed th e flowers of h is hydrangeas bb
Hedges, who has been “ very successful ” in tre a tin g tliis p lant,
gives th e following d ire c tio n s : — “ As a succession of young
plan ts is necessary, I raise some each y e ar by tak in g , in the
beginniug or middle of Ju ly , young shoots with th ree or four
jo ints, cu ttin g th em off close to Gie jo in t which is a t tlie
bottoni of tlie shoot; these a re p lan ted in rich e arth , in a
wwaarrmm bb oo rrddeerr,, aann dd ccoovveerreedd wwiitthh aa hhaann dd --gg llaa ssss;; tthheeyy aarree sshhaaddeedd
d u rin g th e middle of th e day, an d sprinkled with water from
a fine rose waterin g -p o t, two or th ree times a week, in the
evening, so as to keep th em m ois t: th e gloss being k ep t close
over them a t a ll times. T h ey will also grow by layers niazlo
in Ju ly , in th e same way as is usual w ith c arnations. Tho
cuttings o r layers w ill be well rooted by the en d of August, a t
which tim e, or early in September, th ey m u st be jiiit singly
Into small pots, a n d placed u n d e r a frame, w hich a t first ir ■
be s li iu ----------
heat, a . _____ ,
th ey mu st be shaded i
middle or end o f October, they are to be tak en into th e green-
housc, o r o th e r shelter, where they can be protected from
wet a n d fro s t; d u rin g the winter, th ey m u st be watered oncc
a week or fortnight, as they may req u ire . I n th e la tte r end
o f May, or early in Ju n e following, th ey m u st be tu riied out
in to a bed o f rich mould, lu th e open ground, to remain th e re
till September, when th ey m u st be taken u p and potted, and
k e p t protected from damp an d cold, as in th e preceding
winter. In ste ad o f tu rn in g th e in out, as stated, in the spring,
th e y m ay bo retained in p o ts ; b u t they m u st bo shifted tw ice
d u rin g th e summer. By e ith er mctluid fine strong pianta
will be formed, fit for forcing o r tu rn in g out in tlie succeeding
spring. I f wanted for tlie borders, le t tb en i be p u t out when
a ll d anger of th o ir sustaining in ju ry by frost is o v e r; they will
aiK•l th■ e • in th e borders, and will also be ar flowers,
Thos
s, th ey a
tlie ir
, old mould being
plan ted in fresh eajtli, in
pots o f ab o u t S in . d iameter a t top, an d placed in fro n t of tho
greenhouse or p each-house; i f th e p lants are n o t over large,
- ................” ------- =— - '" - l id bo u s e d ; these will come
ly ther
an d
jilcntifully w ith w ater w hilst th ey a
It .........is b est J p ia to . . place .
watcrpans u n der
tiu tiuu;u a ■l supply •
of moisture,
H i t is
have piai
fiower fiow«
e ariy in
ipriug, th ey m u st be shifted in to t
tlici
ind b ro u g h t forward with forci
Ç’he mould I generaily give to my hydrangeas
loam an d bog e a rth o r le a f mould, with a li ...... , —
inoor])orated together ; in tliis they will produce red flowers ;
i f th e y a re expected to blow blue, tliey m u st be jilauted in the
Su re yellow Hampstead loam.” F in tebnann gru
Oner liyiid
rangeas iu th e n e ighbourhood of Potsdam, tliai
form
la in for a cen tu ry in tho b ottom o f a shady v a lley ,:
th e re a moist b la ck e a rth on which few p l a r - - ............................. Wli
.............. e found
growing from th e d a rk shade of th e trees. vV'lien th is cartli
loose, an d r a th e r wet. Wlion th is soil cannot be h ad, M. Fin-
tc h n an n takes th e m o u ld formed b y th e ro tted p e at used a t
Potsdam as fuel. T h e propagation an d c u ltu re differ little
from th e En g lish mo d e ; b u t i t is stated th a t th e mo st «
pericnced Gorman gardeners p refer keeping tlie p lants a t thi
u n d e r tlie shade of trees,
to keeping then
of a wall, a hedge, o r a b u ild in g ; from w’ ‘ '
growing season umlor th e sliade h ll ,
M. Fin tclin an n concluilcs th a t tlie loaves o f the h y drange a
good deal o f carbonic acid. I n Pru ssia tliey havo
n o fixed mod’ e of t.u...i. ling„ th e flowers o f th e hy.-^---------
b u t M. Fiu telm an n has ohscrved, th a t th is eficct t s place
1065
in different soils, an d th a t tlicse always contain a good deal of
oxide of iron, “
6445. The balsam is a tender an nual, rising from 1 ft,
2 ft. lugli, with a succulent b ranchy stem, serrated leaves, a....
various-coloured ll«
J ap an , wliere then:
p repared with ali
■"ewers. I t is a native of the East Indies and
itives, according to T h unbcrg, use the juice
in ep aren wun aiuni, for dyeing th o ir nails red. Cultivated by
Gerard in 1596. Ttie varieties are infinite, b u t not so marked
o r p e rmanent as to have acquired names. T h e seed from one
Plant will lia rd ly produce two alike. Double flowers arc cliicfiy
hold lu esteem, and especially those th a t are striped lik e flake
an d b izarre carnations. I t is almost always raised from seed,
b u t it may be jiropagated by cuttings. The seed ripens readilv
from semidouble plants, an d should not be less th a n th ree or
four, o r even nino years old, gardeners having experienced
th a t new seed seldom i>rodiices double flowers. The best soil
is a rich loam, ra th e r lig h ter th a n th a t used for growing
melons. At an y p e rio d between the 1st o f March an d 1st of
May, sow very thm in pots, to he placed in a hotbed, an d as
n e a r tlic glass as possible. When th e plants a re 6 in. high,
tran sp lan t into No. 48. pots, ono p la u t in th e centre o f each
pot. As soon as tlie roots have filled th e pots, move th e plants
Ulto pots a size larger, nn d rep e at th is operation th ree or
lo u r times, til l a t la st th ey are in pots o f 8 in, d iameter o r up wards,
keeping them a ll tho while in a hotbed or pit, and near
th e glass. Balsams so treated wil! rise 4 ft. higii, and 15 ft,
in circumference, with strong th ick stems, fumislied with
Bide branches from bottom to top, and these covered with
la ig e doublo flowors. (Fairweather, in the Horticultural
Transactions, vol. iii. p. 406.)
54-14. The kma rd n tu s tr{color,CeV>sia cristàta or cockscomb,
Gomphrhia globósa or globe amaranth, Mescmbrydnthemum
cnjstdllinum or ice-plant, Solànum Melongèna o r egg-plant,
a n d most o th e r te n d er annuals, will a ttain to corresponding
lu x u rian ce , if sim ilarly treated. K night, in October, 1820,
Bent to tlie Horticu ltu ra l Society a cockscomb (Ceiòsia
c ris tàta ), tho flower o f which measured 18 iu. in width and
7 iu. in liciglit, from th e top o f the s ta lk : i t was tliick and
full, and of a most intense purplish-red. To produce tliis,
tile g rea t object was to re ta rd the p rotrusion of th e flowcr-
stalk, th a t it m ig h t become o f g rea t strength. Th e compost
employed was o f th e most nu tritiv e an d stimulating kind,
consisting o f one p a rt of unfermented horse-dung, fresh
from th e stable, an d w ith o u t litter, one p a rt o fb u rn t turf, one
p a rt of decayed leaves, an d two p a rts o f green turf, th e la tte r
b e iug in lumps o f ab o u t 1 in. in diameter, in order to keep
♦he mass so hollow, th a t tlie water mig h t have free lib e rty to
escape, an d tho a ir to enter. The seeds were sown in spring
ra th e r late, an d th e plants p u t first into i>ots of 4 in. diameter,
an d tlicn transplanted into otliers 1 ft. in d iameter ; th e object
being ♦” '•''inpress th e roots, as tlia t ha8_a tendency to
placed within a few inci”es o fth e glass, I n a ’h e a to f .
1 0 0 ° ; th ey wore watered w ith pigeon-dung water, an d due
a ttention paid
80 as to product
vol. iv. p. 322.)
5445. The mignonette is i
o f Africa, an d introduced ____
bastard-rocket, with most sweet smellii
an d tho Dutcli florists o f h is day. 7
odoriferous, an d th e p lan t in pots is in i
seasons of tlic ye ar for placing in roo
bien n ial semifrutescent variety, ra th e r
th e common sort, which forms an eh
tlie drawing-room, b u t which is not
lovo the side branches when very yoimo-
strong he ad or flower.” (Hon.
Hort. f t
h a rd y an nual, i
I t i- “ th e ’v1
native
.- oVptiau
flowers,” o f Ju stice
e flowers are hig h ly
liversal request a t all
s. T h ere is a sub-
ore odoriferous th an
a n tv d n tc r p la n t for
in very general cultop.”
5447. The GiUyfiower or stock (Clieiráiilhns L ., M„,
R. Br.), of which th e re a re several species an d varietieitthiolu
» bih.
numerous sub-varieties, is one o f tho oldest inliabitants and
greatest ornaments of tlic ganlen. Of th e W-ii-wcok stock
(M. Annua Swt. ) an d M. g ta b rita /> e c . th e re are now nearly
o ^ huiKlrcd varieties, chiefly knowu as German stocks; and
o f the Brompton o r simple-stcmmed stock (M. simullck’aiilis
Gii't.), which 18 a biennial, there arc also several varieties,
th ough n o t so man y as of the form er two species. Th e ten
week stocks, to flower th e same year, should be raised on heat,
an d transplanted, w hen all d anger from frost is over, to wher?
they aro finally to remain. T h e Brompton stoek should not
be encouraged to flower lill the second year, an d therefore
It may bo sown in th e opeu a ir in April, o r tho b eginnine of
May, and tran sp lan ted in J u ly to where it is to flower. ? lll
stocks should be tran sp lan ted when very v o u n g - be
haviugfusiform roots, and few aide fibres, th e y sel.Tom r
tr em the check which they receive from be in g tran-n
a lte r two or three months’ growth from tlie seed. A nsiilaiitcd
iuc.
writer, in tho Floricultural Cabinet, recommends ma rk in g
such flowers for seed as have more th a n the usual n um b e r
ot pe t¿3 , say six or seven insteaei o f four, an d p u llin g u p all
tlic o th e r plantó. From practising this, h e says, he never fails
(A’Io 'fec aT ” r e r a ¿9°^^^ o f double-flowered offspring.
The P jr ln n ia l A s te r (A's to rL .) consista ofn u n iero iis
species, a ll of which are valuable as flowering late in the
autumn . There are seven siiccics in common cu ltu re which
bloom in August, six w inch bloom in September, eleven which
October, an d th ree which continue in bloom from
the 1st q f November fill Christmas. The propagation and
cu ltu re of ¿ I these species are of the very easiest kiiid, an d they
will grow in almost an y soil. Sec a very in te resting pap er on
tlu s subject in th e Gardener's M a g a z in e ,yo \.v i. p. 684. hv
an amateu r cultivator of th is genus. ^
5 ¿ 9 . I'he China A s te r (A'ster chinénsis L ., Callistémma
hortense Cos.) is a well-known an nual, which has la tely ha<l
¿ accession of some beautiful new varieties from Germany.
I hese havo q u illed flowers, striped and of a la rger size th an the
common Wiina aster, and th ey rlchlydeserve a place in every
garden. T h ey should he sown th e first week in April, ih
order to get tho plants stro n g and forward, e ith er in pots, or
seed pans, keeping the sorts d is tin c t; th e jiots may th en be
placed in a cold frame till th e plants come up. When th ey
a rc of th e proper size, th ey m ay be transplanted into th e beds
or borders wtipre they a re to flower like tlie common variety.
A fow o f tho finest an d most distinct varieties of th e 'German
China aster a re : deep red, deep red striped, pale red, palo
red tipped w itli white, d a rk blue, d a rk blue striped, pale blue,
paJc blue stnped, yellow tinged, white, silver white, fle«h-
_
tivation. iiishon, who cultivated tin s p lan t extensively for
th e London m a rk e t, gives tiie following instructions, as app
licable to th e commou v a rie ty : — “ To obtain fine plants,
sti'ong an d ready to blow, d u rin g tlie w inter, and th ro u g h the
months of J.«nuary and Feb ru ary , the seed sliould he sown in
tho open gro u n d tJie en d o f J u ly ; by the m iddle o f September,
th e p lants from th is sowing will be strong enough to be
removed iu to p o ts ; for a weo'k a fte r this removal th ey mu st
be shaded, aftor wliich th ey may he freely exposed to tli# sun
e jid a ir, care being ta k en to jirotcct th em by frames from
damage h y h eavy rains, an d from in ju ry hy e arly frosts, u n til
th e begiiniing of November, a t which time man y of them wiil
show th e ir flowers; an d th ey should th e n be removed to a
greenhouse or conservatory, or to a w arm window in a dwoll-
iug-houso, wbore th ey will b ranch out, an d continue to blow
u n til the spring. Th e c rop for Marcli, April, an d May, sliould
be sown in small pots, n o t la te r th an th e 25th of A u g u st; th e
p lants from th is sowing wBl n o t suffer by exposure to rain,
whilst th ey a rc y o u n g ; th ey must, however, be protected from
e a rly trosts, h k e the win te r c ro p ; th ey are to be th in n e d in
November, leaving n o t m ore tlian eig h t o r ten p lants in each
D, th e pots being sunk about 5 in. «
oal-asfies, she ‘ '
4 in, in some old tan or co’al-asi 1 he covered with i
frame, , which ......— —it —is best
OT— ,0 piace fronti ot, ................. .
th e Ughts lights may bo ho left op open in th e evening, to catch th _e
_
whenever it sots clear, The th ird or spring crop should b«
sown in pots, n o t la te r th an th e 25tli of Feb ru ary ; these mu st
b e placed in a frame on a gentle heat, an d as th e h eat
declines, th e pots m u st bo le t down 3 in. or 4 in. in to th e
dung-bed, wluch will keep th e roots moist, and prevent th e ir
leaves tu rn in g brown, from th e h e at of th e sun, in April aud
May. Th e p lants tiius obtained will be in perfection by tho
end o f May, an d be ready to succeed those raised by tho
a u tum n a l sowing.” (Hort. Trans., vol. ii. p. 575.)
5446. The Iree-mignonctte, according to Sabine, “ is to bo
propagated from seeds sown in spring ; it may also bo in creased
by cuttings, which will readily strik e ---* ~"
young p lants should be p u t singly in to sm all
;d by beat, th a t of a gentle hotbed
b u t thoy will grow well w ith o u t artificial heat.* A s'th ey
advance, th ey m u st be tied to a stic k ; ta k in g carc to prevent
th e g rowth of th e smallor side shoots, h y pincliiiig th em off
b u t allowing th e leaves o f th e main stem to rem a in on for a
tim e to support an d strengthen it. When tiiey have attained
th e he ig h t o f ab o u t 10 in., or more, according to the fancy of
th e cultivator, tho shoots m u st be suffered to ex ten d th em selves
from th e top, b u t m u st be occasionally stopped a t tlio
ends, to force th em to form a b ushy head, wliich, by the
au tum n , will ho 8 iu. or 9 in, iu diameler, an d covered with
bloom. Whilst th e plants arc attain in g tlieir proper size, they
should bo shifted progressively iuto la rg e r puts, an d may
..— ----------- i— I ,inged,w
coloured, ash CTcy, &c. (Hogg’s Supplement.)
5450. The I'hloxes a re a numerous family o f most elejrant
flowers, an d th e n um h e r of varieties has been la tely increased
b y cross fecundation. Tlioy are all of th e easiest culture, an d
th e re are sorts in bloom from Feb ru ary to November.
5451. The Cyclamen pérsicum an d o th e r species are very
n e at little plants, well adapted for pots. Th e C. ptrsicu in
n p e u s seeds freely, an d h y them m ay be easily increased.
I h e seeds should he sown immediately after th ey have become
ripe, a n d kept in a frame or greenhouse till the bogin-
niDg o f May. T h ey may th en be transplanted into a bed of
lig h t g arden soil, au d covered with a frame till midsuninier.
By tlie following a u tum u th ey will be found strong vigorous
plants, wheu th ey may be tak eu up, potted singly in very
ammali pots, an d placed in th e greeifiiouse, where they will
flower h eautifully, producing from fifty to eighty blossoms
from a single tuber. Cyclamen còum ripcus its seeds in May,
when th e y should be immediately sown in pots or pans, and
I f subjected to tlie usual ro u tin e th ey will flower in the
¿ n u a r y twelveniomli following. The plants sliould be kept
in a greenhouse o r frame d u rin g w inter, a n d freely cxjiosed
to the lig h t an d air. Of C. iiérslcum, th e re Is a variety with
i r ^ r a n t flowers, an d another, i t is saitl, w itli a doubled corolla.
5452. The double rocket is a b iennial or an imperfect peren-
m a l; a n a tiv e of Italy , an d cultivated b yG e ra rd in 1597.
2lie varteltes are tlie white an d purjile, b o th very double, an d
farm in g a spike of ah out 1 ft. long, of g rea t be au ty and
fragrance, an d considerable d u ration, 'fh e ifiant is extrem
ely difficult to preserve, especially ne ar la rg e towns.
I t does n o t thrive e ith er n e ar London or Paris ; an d both
capitals, especially the la tte r, are supjilied with it from provincial
growers. I t is very mucli grown in th o west of
Scotland, au d in th e Netherlands ; an d between Calais an d
Abbeville it m ay be seen in g reat perfection in m ost cottagers’
gardens. Van Mons (Hort. 2'rans., v o l.ii. p. 153.) says it
prospers best in a clayey soil, b u t flowers best in one o f a
liglitor tex tu re, lik e th e Lo bèlia c ardinàiis. Tho best d irections
which we have m e t w ith for its cu ltu re aro given hy
Robertson. (Caled. Mem., vol. ii. p. 245.) He says, ” after
the flower is beginning to fade, c u t down th e stalks an d divi.io
th em mto o rd in ary lengths of cuttings ; n e x t c u t off the
leaves, an d smooth th e ends ; th en mak e th ree slits with a
knife in th e b a rk or rin d , lengthwise, so as to separate or raise
th e b a rk for lialt an in ch in length. When the cu ttin g is inserted
in th e grounil, th e loose b a rk naturaUy cu rls up ; and it is
from th is b a rk th a t th e young roots proceed. The partial
separation, anil tlic tu rn in g up o fth e ha rk , seems to promote
a tendency to throw out roots. The cuttings may bo p u t into
flower-pots, as they may th u s he sheltered du rin g winter w ith
more ease ; o r they may bo placed in the n a tu ra l earth, provided
th e soil is lig h t an d frosh. Covering tliem w ith a h an d glass
will forward the rooting of tlie cu ttin g s; o r with tlio aid
of a h otbed thoy will succeed excellently. I have used this
simple way for six years back, aud ucver with o u t success;
n o t ouo in twenty h aving failed. Th is method, i t may he
remarked, will liold good in cuttings of stock-gillyflowers, and
double wallflowers.” Whidtlon cuts the flower-stems h a lf
way down, from whieh shoots fit for m ak in g cuttings aro
p rotruded, which lie strikes in equal p a rts of loam, leaf soil,
an d sand. Cuttings of th e flower-stems will very frequently
strike root, an d tlirow up shoots, though th is mode is uot so
mucli to be depended ujion as th e two preceding ones.
5455. The Common Cardinal Flower (L . cardinàiis. Dot.
Mag. 320. andji;/. 9 I6 .a), a native of Virginia, w here it Is found
ab u n d an tly by the sides of rivers au d ditches, was introduced
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