have young plants strong and well established by the approach of the succeeding winter. Gladioli, Alstræmeria, Lilium, &c., grown in pots at the end of the month, should be repotted. When the weather is damp or foggy do not give air, only let a dry air be admitted. If any of the Oranges, Lemons, &c., have naked or irregular heads, towards the end of the month, if fine mild weather occur, begin to reclaim them to some uniformity by shortening the branches; by this attention they will break out new shoots upon the old wood, and form a regular head. It is the practice of many persons to prune in most exotic plants at the time of repotting, disrooting, &c., that is injurious, the plant sustaining a double loss at once; prune some time before repotting, vigorous young wood is obtained, after which repot for fine bloom. Tender and small kinds of plants should frequently be examined to have the surface of soil loosened, decayed leaves taken away, or if a portion of a branch be decaying cut it off immediately, or the injury may extend to the entire plant and destroy it.

Chrysanthemums having now quite ceased blooming, the plants must be placed in a cool pit where they can be protected from severe frost, and have the tops cut off. If seed be desired such plants must not be headed down, and they must be kept in a dry and warm place in the greenhouse to ripen.

IN THE STOVE.

All kinds of plants required here for ornament, and which have been duly prepared by previous culture, should be introduced in succession, giving ample supplies of water and frequent syringing over head. If any of the forced plants be attacked with the green fly, a syringe with diluted tobacco-water will destroy them. If the leaves appear bit, and turn brown (the effect of damage by red spider), a syringe of soap-suds at the under side of the leaves is effectual to destroy them. The glutinous substance remaining not only kills those it is applied to, but prevents others returning there. The plants best adapted for forcing are various kinds of Roses, Persian Lilacs, Azaleas, Acacia armata, Neriums, Gardenias, Rhodora, Heliotropes, Correas, Deutzias, Mezereums, Coronillas, Cytissus, Ribes, Mignonette, Cinerarias, Sweet Violets, Lily of the Valley, Tulips, Cyclamens; and the old Eranthemum pulchellum with its fine blue flowers, Justicia speciosa, Gesneria Zebrina, Justicia pulcherrima, and Apphellandria cristata, are fine winter ornamental blooming plants. All pots or boxes containing bulbous-rooted flowering plants, as IIyacinths, Narcissus, Persian Irises, Crocusses, &c., should occasionally be introduced, so as to have a succession of bloom. Many persons who take a delight in growing showy Hyacinths or other bulbous plants for adorning a room or window, &c. in winter or early in spring, have been frequently disappointed by the abortiveness of some and weakness of others. This principally arises from the inability of the plant to develop itself with a rapidity equal to the quantity of moisture it imbibes, on account of its upper surface being acted upon too immediately by the atmosphere, &c.; hence arises the necessity of covering the bulb. That such is a fact is evidenced by the admirable and

certain success of nearly every bulb, especially Hyacinths, that is covered with about six inches of old spent bark. This or some similar light material should always be used. Even bulbs intended to bloom in glasses we prefer starting in the old bark, and then transferring them to the glasses when the shoots are about two inches long. Where such covering is not adopted, it is of advantage to have the pots or glasses kept in a dark place till the shoots are so long. Cactus plants that have been kept in the greenhouse should occasionally be brought into the stove for flowering, which gives a succession.

ON THE LEAVES OF PELARGONIUMS BEING
AFFECTED BY SPOTS.

BY E. H. CORNWALL.

A CONSTANT reader requests the obliging information of some correspondent as to what means he is to take in order to prevent the leaves of Pelargoniums from being affected with numerous blotches of a brown colour. His plants have thus suffered for a long time, and they are getting worse. They have been fumigated with tobacco smoke several times, but no improvement resulted from the operation. They were kept very dry for a period, and afterwards quite moist; but still unsuccessful. Any information of a remedy, and as early as possible, will be esteemed a great favour.

[Our plants have escaped the pest our correspondent deplores. After the plants are housed in autumn, we water in the morning, with a view to have the house well dried before it is closed in the evening, by a free current of air being allowed to pass through it. If the air be frosty, then a slight fire is applied to dry it before evening. We keep the soil just moist from November to the middle of February, then increase the quantity. Our aim is to keep the soil and the atmosphere of the house as near equal in moisture as possible. If the soil be very dry and the atmosphere very moist, mildew is almost certain to attack sundry kinds of plants, especially fleshy stems and leaves, and the footstalks of the leaves often rot, close to the spreading portion of the leaf; sometimes, too, if the stalk escape, a portion of the leaf decays. To arrest this disaster, dust the plants over and under the leaves with common sulphur, but admit no fire into the house for a few days. After applying it, in a week or so, shake the plants and sweep out the sulphur. The proper attention in watering, and due admission of air, will render this application unnecessary. Perhaps the brown blotches on the leaves, such as are on those our correspondent sent us, may result from the mildew spot where it first originates, but soon after is arrested by some casual remedy in treatment of the house, &c. Not having practically to contend with the adversary, we are not in a position to do more at present than state probabilities. If any of our readers can assist our friend, we very respectfully solicit their compliance with the request he has made.-CONDUCTOR.]

NANCY DE SERMET AND KING OF THE CRIMSONS.

T is several years since our Magazine was embellished with a figure We have

not been prevented for want of new handsome varieties, as since that time there has annually been a great improvement, both in the attainment of a more perfect form, and in the greater distinction of colours. Nor have we hesitated because we do not admire the flowers; on the contrary, we have a very strong attachment to them, and consider that the assemblage of beauty, in variety of form and in exquisite colours, is not to be surpassed in their season of bloom, as is exemplified in our enchanting, beauteous decorations, both out doors and in doors.

The two varieties we now figure are very strikingly distinctive, and ought to be in every select collection.

The management of the Chrysanthemum is now well known. It is the aim of those who grow for exhibition at the Chrysanthemum shows to grow the flowers as large as possible; and in order to do so, thin all away to a very few, leaving only one each to the three or four leading shoots, and to grow the plants as vigorous as possible. This is easily accomplished by a very rich loamy soil, frequent repotting, application of manure water, &c. By such treatment we have seen what would be termed monsters, in comparison with the generally cultivated collections. We do not so much admire the extravagant sized plants, as the compact lesser sized ones, in a profusion of bloom. To realize this object, a respected correspondent gave us the following particulars relative to the mode of treatment he pursued with the greatest success. He states as follows:

"The latter end of March I select the strongest suckers from the old plants, and plant one in a 48-sized pot, using the richest soil, conVol. XVI. No. 14.-N.S.

C