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KOFOID DIFFERENT MOOES OF GRAFTING, A MANUAL OF GARDENING FOR WESTERN AND SOUTHERN INDIA, BY K. RIDDELL. II EDITED AND REVISED BY LIEUTENANT-COLONEL BODDAM, HONORARY SECRETARY, MYSORE AGRI-HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, FIFTH EDITION, WITH CHAPTERS ON CROTONS, FOLIAGE PLANTS, PALMS AND CYCADS, MADRAS: HIGGINBOTHAM AND CO. Eg Appointment in InUta to $is &ogal pjigfjncss t&e prince ano Puiiisfjtrs to tfjc fHafcras 1884. MADRAS: PRINTBO BY HIOOINBOTHAM & CO., 164 & 165, MOUNT IIOAD. 0/377 PUBLISHERS' PREFACE. THE Fourth Edition of KIDDELL'S Manual of Gar- dening was revised by Lieutenant-Colonel BODDAM, Honorary Secretary, Mysore Agri-Horticultural So- ciety, who brought the work up to date as regards many newly introduced Plants and Flowers, and their treatment. To the present edition, the Fifth, chapters on Crotons, Foliage Plants, Palms and Cycads, are added. TOOLS DESIRABLE FOR GARDENING. Axe or Pick. Bill Hook or Pruning Bill. Bleaching Pots.- Beetle or Rammer. Broom. Budding Knife. Digging Hoe. Dibble. Flower Pots. French Flower Pots. Fruit Preservers. Fumigating Bellows. Garden Trowel. Garden Water Engine. Grafting Knife. Gathering Scissors. Hoes. Hedge Shears, Ladders. Long Pruning Shears. Mallet. Mattock or Kodallee, Hoe Axe. Native Hoes, Nuranee and Koorpah. Pins and Line. Plough. Powrah. Propagation Pots. Pronged Hoe. Pruning Hook. Rake. Ringing Knife. Shade Baskets or Pots. Saws. Spade. Spud. Transplanter. Wheel Barrow. Watering Pots. Three Pronged Hand Grubber. The trowel is a most useful instrument for lifting young plants with a ball of earth round their roots, so as to avoid their receiving any check, several young seedlings require a move, should be lifted with the tip of the trowel put into the new place very carefully so as not to disturb the earth immediately round them. The three pronged hand grubber is the best implement for loosening the soil round plants and exactly suited to the Native gardeners' fancy, they do not as a rule take kindly to European implements, the spade they cannot use as they do not wear shoes, and besides it is generally too much for their strength. Watering pots with large moveable necks are very desirable for watering large beds obviating the men trampling over the surface. GLOSSARY OF TERMS, ETC. ALBUMEN — is a thick, glairy, tasteless, fluid, resembling the white of an unboiled egg ; and is a substance deposited in the cells of vegetables. It abounds in the papaw (Carica papaya) tree; it also exists in the seeds of many plants, and in the fungi. BLANCHING OR ETIOLATION. — The process of whitening plants, by which we deprive them of much of their bitter quality. It is performed in several ways — either by earthing them up so as to exclude the light and air, or by covering them over with boards, which is a bad plan in this country ; or else by placing over the plant earthenware pots, open above and below, and filling up the space at the bottom with dry sand, — but I by no means recom- mend doing the latter, as it gets between the leaves, and is some- times difficult to remove. A couple of half circular tiles, placed round the plant, with the earth brought up around it, is the method I generally pursue. Salad only requires that the leaves should be brought together and tied with plantain leaf or other substance, and if rain falls, the leaves must be occasionally opened and the water shaken out, else they soon decay. BLIGHT, — A common term for injuries received by the vegetable kingdom when in a state of growth, which cannot always be refer- red to any obvious or certain cause, and coming suddenly, is said to give them the appearance of being blighted. Attacks of insects, fogs, clammy weather, and frost, are said to be some of the causes. BUDDING — should be performed in the morning or evening : the natives give the preference to the last and first quarter of the moon for the operation. The cuttings from which buds are taken should be from healthy trees, and such as have borne fruit. The best season for budding is at the commencement of the rains> and during the cold weather, though much will depend upon the state of the tree from which you take your bud, and the forward- ness of the stock on which it is to be inoculated, — whether the sap is rising in it, and the bark separates with ease from the wood when opened. Process. — Provide yourself with a good sharp knife, (vide Fig. 29.) and shreds of linen tape, or plantain leaf, about one- fourth of an inch in breadth ; also have a thin blunt piece of flat ivory or bamboo, cut round or smooth at the end, for introducing between the bark and separating it from the wood. Having your knife, shreds, and cuttings, ready, you are to proceed in the following manner : — With your knife make a cross cut in the smooth part of the bark, rind ofE the stalk, and be careful to make it no deeper than the bark ; let another bo made down the centre about two inches long, so that the two cuts form the figure of the cross, in which the bud is to be inserted. Then from your cut- tings or shoots take off the bud in the following manner : begin at the lower end of the shoot, having removed all the leaves, but leaving a small part of the stalk remaining ; then about an inch below the lower bud, or eye, make a cross cut in the shoot, half way through, in a slant- ing direction, carrying the cut upwards in a clean manner to about half an inch below the bud ; here separate it from the stalk with a cross cut ; then with the point of your knife clear away the wood inside from the rind, very gently, and observe if the inside of the eye of the bud be left ; for if there appears a small hole, the eye is gone, and the bud for insertion useless, therefore take another, and when ready, insert it immediately in the stock pre- pared for its reception. Be careful to place the bud in the centre of the perpendicular slit from the cross above, observing that the bud is in no ways injured or pressed upon by the sides or the bark of the stock ; then let that part be immediately bound round withlbhe tape, or shreds, beginning a little below the cut and pro- ceeding upwards, drawing it closely round to the top of the slit, but carefully observing that the eye of the bud is not included or pressed upon. When you have thus surrounded the whole, bring the end through a slide of the fastening and leave it : thus the operation is done, A piece of plantain leaf tied about four inches above the bud, so as to drop over it, will shade it from the sun and promote its growth. In the course of a fortnight, you will be enabled to judge if it has taken, by its full and green ap- pearance : if otherwise, it looks black and shrivelled. When the shoot is six or eight fingers long you may then cut off the heads of the stocks, leaving about two inches above the insertion of the bud. Shield budding or T budding differs from the preceding merely in the form of the incision. Observe, as soon as your buds have shot out strong, that you loosen the bandages below, suffering the upper to remain a short time longer ; hemp or string should on no account be used, as they cut through the rind and injure the growth of the shoot. In Niche budding the incision is made in the form of an inverted U, this mode is applicable to rose bushes. A bud of sweet brier grafted on the stock of a Rose Edwards threw out a shoot full three inches long in the course of twenty days after the bud was first tied on, in the month of February, at Hyderabad, in the Deccan. Native Method of Bud- ding.— This is very simple, and in general most success- ful. An incision of the length required is made per- pendicularly in the stock ; they then take hold of it with their hands, both above and below the cut, and bend the stock forward towards them, the bark is thus separated and forms an opening sufficient to in- troduce the bud, which is placed in its right position, the stock is then allowed to regain elasticity, and the bark or rind closes tightly rouncl the bud : a ligature of plantain leaf shreds is bound round the perpendicular incision, omitting of course the bud, and allowing it free space to grow, no cross cut being required. When you remove these plants into the situations in which they are to remain, and they appear to have taken root well, then you may cut off the head of the stock in a slanting direction, near the bud, in a clean and careful manner. CIRCULATION OF WATER IN SOILS. — It is necessary for the due nourishment of plants, that the water by which soils are moistened have a proper movement or circulation. When the soil is so loose and porous as not to retain moisture, the circulation is too rapid, so that the water is carried off before it can be taken up by the root fibres and conveyed to the plants, on the other hand, when the soil is stiff and compact so as not to allow the water it imbibes to circulate, the mouths of the minute tubes are pressed upon and obstructed, so that no nourishment obtains admission, both con- ditions are of course detrimental. If a soil is very porous, the water naturally sinks into it and moves to wards the bottom, which, if not of a firmer texture, the water will naturally drain away ; and as the heat expends the water nearest the surface into vapour, and raises it into the air, as soon as by this means the surface be- comes dry, the moisture below will gradually rise in the same way, leaving little or no further nourishment for the plant. But again, if in such a soil there is at a little depth, of two feet or so, a stiff clay or rock, the water then settles, and being out of the reach of the sun's influence to raise it, it becomes necessary to drain it off, otherwise, for want of circulation, it becomes deleterious to the growth of the plant : water should never be allowed to stagnate round plants, but always have a free movement or circulation, otherwise the mouths of the suckers become pressed upon and obstructed, and of course the nourishment is checked in its progress. Water, when stagnated, soon becomes exhausted of the nutritive material with which it may have at first been mixed and it then becomes destructive. CLEARING OF FRUIT TREES, &c. — This is a very necessary part of the business of a gardener who wishes his trees to look well and produce a good crop of fruit. In the first place, keep all the space round your trees, if possible, clear of weeds, which only can be done by cutting and hoeing them up, and then removing the same — or scatter under your trees a small quantity of hemp stalks ; this not only prevents the growth of weeds, but, when it decays, forms a very beneficial manure. All dead branches should be cut away in a smooth manner, either with a saw, or knife, and suckers never allowed to spring up from the roots, un- less wanted for stocks. Another important thing to attend to, is, to observe if any insects have bored holes in the woody part of the trees, and which may immediately be known by seeing their holes, or a quantity of dry saw-dust, in appearance, hanging by light filaments of thread from the entrance, in which an insect like a caterpillar has taken up its quarters, and will be found working its way either into the sap of the tree or along the bark, both of which are equally injurious ; it is necessary to remove them as soon as possible. The method to effect this is very simple. Pro- vide yourself with a strong infusion of assaf cetida, and some dough made with common flour and water : pour a small quantity of the infusion into the hole, enough to fill it up ; then after having re- moved all the dirt round it, stick a small piece of the dough, about the size of a pigeon's egg, over the hole, and let it remain. In the course of an hour or two, if you take off the dongh, you will find the insect to have embedded itself in it. This plan answers when you have other work in hand cannot wait the result of the infusion which has been put into the hole : if you can, generally in a few minutes, if the insect is there, you will observe a bubble in the mixture ; this is occasioned by the insect moving, and shortly after it will be seen crawling up to the top, presenting a thick horny head : then, with a long pin, or thorn, gently run it slanting through the neck and give the insect a sharp twist out. They are sometimes two or three inches long, and very destructive, as they attack every fruit- bearing tree, as well as others. When insects infest the leaves of trees, they must either be picked off, or destroyed by smoking the tree. Sulphur thrown on burning charcoal is very effective method of destroying insects ; the fumes must be allowed to pass over the branches. A pound of sulphur will suffice for very many trees. COLOUR OF FLOWERS. — The colour, smell, and nutritive quali- ties of plants, depend for their production chiefly on the action of light. The propensity of plants to turn to the light depends solely on the hardening and stiffening of one side, whilst the other remains soft and pliable ; the side exposed to the light has its moisture carried off by evaporation, and is rendered more firm, contracted, and shorter, than the one less exposed. COMPOSTS — Are mixtures of several earths, or dungs, for the improvement of the general soil under culture, or for the culture of particular plants. In respect of composts for the amendment of the general soil of the garden, the quality must depend upon the natural soil ; if this be light, loose, or sandy, it may be assisted by the addition of heavy loam, clays, &c., from ponds, tanks, and ditches. On the other hand, heavy clays and stub- born soils may be assisted by light composts of sandy earth, all kinds of ashes, rotten bark, saw-dust, and other similar opening materials that can be procured. COMPOSITION FOR WOUNDS IN TREES. — The following com- position, prepared after the recipe of Mr. Forsyth, has been found to answer extremely well : old fruit trees, such as the mango, frequently derive benefit by having the composition applied, after removing the cankered and decayed parts. It may also be 8 applied to the end of cut branches when pruning trees : — " Take a large basket of fresh cowdung, half a basket of fine lime rub- bish from old buildings, half a basket of woodashes from the kitchen, and about four double handsful of the finest sand pro- curable : the last three articles must be well sifted and mixed together, working the whole up with a powrah or beater until it is quite smooth ; then lay on the plaster about one-eighth of an inch thick, all over the part where the wood or bark has been cut away, finishing off the edges to a thin surface." " Then take a quantity of dry powder of woodashes, mixed with a sixth part of the same quantity of burnt bones. Sprinkle this powder over the surface of the plaster till the whole is covered over with it : let it remain to absorb the moisture, then apply more powder, gently rubbing it with the hand till the whole plaster becomes a dry surface." CUTTINGS. — Propagation by cuttings is simple, and generally successful with fast growing hardy shrubs, such as the Laurel, Grape, Fig, &c., but with many others, such as the Myrtle, Cypress, &c., it is one of the most delicate and difficult modes of continuing the species. The subject must be considered as to the choice of cuttings, their preparation, insertion in the soil, and future management. CUTTINGS, CHOICE OF. — Those branches of trees or shrubs thrown out nearest the ground, and especially such as recline, or nearly so, on the earth's surface, have always the most tendency to produce roots : even the branches of resinous trees, which are extremely difficult to propagate by cuttings, when reclining on the ground, if accidentally covered with earth in any part, will often throw out roots, as in the Fir, Cypress, &c. : cuttings should therefore be preferred from those shoots nearest the stem and ground. The proper time for taking cuttings, is when the sap is in full motion, in order that, returning by the bark, it may form a callus or protruding ring of granular substance between the bark and wood, whence the roots proceed. As this ring is gener- ally best formed in ripened wood, the cutting, when taken from the mother plant, should contain a part of the former year ; or in plants which grow twice a year, of the wood of the former growth ; or in evergreens, such wood as has begun to ripen or assume a brownish colour. This is the true principle as to the choice of cuttings as to time, but there are many sorts of trees the cuttings of which will grow at any season in India, if pro- tected from the hot land winds. In some plants, where the sap is comparatively at rest, the principle of life is so strong, and so diffused over the vegetable, that very little care is re^ quisite for their propagation. Cuttings from herbaceous plants should be chosen from the low growths which do not indicate a tendency to blossom, but they will succeed in many cases from the flower stems, and border flowers, as the Dahlia, Rocket, Wall-flower, Nasturtium, &c. preparation of Cut- tings is guided by this prin- ciple, viz., that the power of protruding buds or roots resides chiefly, and in most f cases entirely, in what are - called the axillae or joints, where leaves or buds al- ready exist : hence all cut- tings should be evenly cut across with the smoothest and soundest section possible at an eye or joint; and the choice of a bud should be in wood somewhat ripened or fully formed, and the section should be made in the wood of the growth of the preceding season, or as it were in the point between the two growths. It is true that the cuttings of some plants, such as the Grape, Mulberry, &c., not only throw out roots from the ring of granulated matter, but also from the sides of every part of the stem inserted in the soil ; but all plants which are diffi- cult to root, such as Heaths, Camellias, Oranges, &c., will be found in the first instance to throw out roots only from the ring of herbaceous matter above-mentioned: and hence the necessity of properly preparing the cuttings. It is not a good practice to take off the whole of the leaves of cuttings, as the leaves in many instances supply nourishment to the cutting •2 10 until it can sustain itself. Leaves alone in some instances, will strike root, and form plants. Cuttings which are difficult to strike may be rendered more tractable by previous ringing. If a ring be made on the shoot which is to furnish the cutting, a callus will be created, which, if inserted in the ground after the cutting is taken off, will freely emit roots, A ligature would perhaps answer the same purpose. The amputation, in case of the ring or ligature, must be made below the circles, and the cutting must be so planted as to have the callus covered with earth. [Collodion useful for striking Cuttings. — Many cuttings fail from damping off at the base, using collodion is said to save them. Major Trevor Clarke, a great authority, on the Com- mittee of the Royal Horticultural Society, London, gives the following recipe. Allow the cuttings time to dry off visible moisture from the cut, then dip the ends, in a minute or so dip again, and in five minutes plant them. Procure the collodion from a good Photographic Chemist and state in your order that it must be capable of giving a strong horny film, with only sufficient Alcohol to ensure solu- tion, and to be twice as strong in cotton as that used for photo- graphic purposes. Striking Cuttings. — All soft wooded and delicate plant cut- tings should be struck in sand under a hand glass, not over- watered, the soil kept just moist, if the cuttings are kept in the open, the glass should be covered in the day with matting during bright sunshine, generally a place under a big tree is selected for striking cuttings. It should be well raised so that no over- wet state of the soil is created, from too much moisture cuttings are liable to damp off when they have rooted the hand glass is removed except in heavy rain. — ED.] The insertion of Cuttings — may seem an easy matter, and none but a practical cultivator would imagine that there could be any difference in the growth between cuttings inserted in the middle of a pot and those inserted at its sides. Yet such is actually the case, and some sorts of trees if inserted in a mere mass of earth, 11 will hardly, if at all, throw out roots, while if they are inserted in sand or in earth at the side of the pots, so as to touch the pot in their whole length, they seldom fail of becoming rooted plants. Some cuttings will be found to strike more easily if their lower ends are placed on a piece of broken pot or tile, or when touching a stratum of gravel ; therefore with cuttings which are found difficult to strike root, it is advisable they should be so laid in pots as to be made to touch the bottom. A large tumbler or glass bell jar placed over a cutting, if small, will often facilitate its growth. Themanagement of Cuttings. — No cut- ting requires to be planted deep, though such as are large ought to be inserted deeper than such as are small. In the case of evergreens, the leaves should never touch the soil, otherwise they will rot off from damp : a leaf lying with its under part on a wet soil, or on water, will decay and rot as fast as if plucked and exposed to the sun ; and the same difficulty occurs in the case of tubular-stalked plants, which are not in general very easily struck, owing to the water lodging in the tube and rotting the cutting. Both ends of a cutting may in some cases be inserted in the soil forming a half circle in this manner, besides, with a greater certainty of success, two plants will be produced. Too much light, air, water, heat, or cold, are alike in- jurious, and to guard against these it is useful to en- close an atmos- •: phere over the cuttings of tender plants by the means of a bell or hand glass. This preserves a uniform stillness and moisture of atmosphere. Immersing the pots in earth (if the cuttings are in 12 pots) has a tendency to preserve a moisture to their roots ; and shading or planting the cuttings, (if in the open air) in a shady situation, prevents the bad effects of the excess of light. DESCENT OF THE SAP. — The simple fact with respect to leaf buds and branch buds seems to be that they are expanded in spring by the sap, and when sufficiently so to permit the air and light to convert this into pulp, it descends into the bark at their base, but it is not until the leaf is fully expanded that any new wood is or can be formed ; consequently it is the leaf, not the leaf bud, which is the chief agent in this process. DESTROYING INSECTS ON VEGETABLES, &c. — Sprinkle the leaves over with very fine pounded sulphur tied up in a muslin bag, or with woodashes from the kitchen. Fumigate also trees with to- bacco smoke, or sprinkle the leaves with a solution made after the following manner : to three parts of lime add one of sulphur, and boil both together in one hundred parts of water : you may also soak seeds in this to preserve them. For destroying White Ants, take a bundle of the twigs of the Sarcostemma Viminale ; put it into the trough of the well by which the bed or field is watered, along with a bag of salt, hard packed, so that it may only dissolve gradually. Water so im- pregnated destroys the ants without injuring the crop. Dry twigs answer as well as green. This plant abounds in the Deccan, in Gogah and the coast of Kattywar. — Hind, name, Soom. DEW. — Is the moisture insensibly deposited from the atmosphere on the earth. The moisture is precipitated by the cold of the body on which it appears, and will be more or less abundant — not in proportion to the coldness of that body, but — in proportion to the existing state of the air in regard to moisture. It is com- monly supposed that the formation of dew produces cold, but, like every other precipitation of water from the atmosphere, it must evidently produce heat. DIGGING. — This is almost always performed by the pickaxe and kodallee and is the most effectual method (the spade never being used by natives) . When the ground will admit, the plough, pro- bably, is a quicker method. The earth thus turned up admits of 13 being easily worked, and the clods knocked to pieces, the plough also turns out the weeds, only that it is apt to disturb the roots of trees in the neighbourhood, and the bullocks, injure the trees themselves. EARTH AND SOILS. — Earths are the production of the rocks which are exposed on the surface of the globe, and soils are earths mixed with more or less of the decomposed organized matter afforded by dead plants and animals. Earth and soils therefore must be as various as the rocks which produce them. The surface earth, or that which forms the outer coating of the dry parts of the globe, is formed by the detritus of worn off parts of rocks, and rocky substances. Earths are therefore variously composed, ac- cording to the rocks or strata which have supplied the particles. Sometimes they are formed from slate rocks, as in blue clays ; at other times from sand stone, as in siliceous soils ; and mostly of a mixture of cjayey, slatey, and limestone rocks, blended in propor- tions as various as their situations. In process of time the decay of vegetables and animals form additions to the outer surface of the earth, and constitute what are called soils. As soon as the smallest layer of earth is formed on the surface of a rock, the spores of Lichens, Mosses, and other Flowerless plants, which are constantly floating in the atmosphere, and which have found a resting place, begin to vegetate ; their death, decomposition, and decay, afford a certain quantity of organizable matter, which mixes with the earthy materials of the rock. In this improved soil more perfect plants are capable of subsisting. These in their turn absorb nourishment from water, and the atmosphere, and after perishing, afford new materials to those already provid- ed. The decomposition of the rock still continues, and at length, by such slow and gradual processes, a soil is formed in which even forest trees can fix their roots, and which is fitted to reward the labors of the cultivator. Preparation of Garden Soil at the commencement of the hot season. — It is stated by Leibig, that the frequent separation and inter- mixing of the granules of the soil during suitable weather is beneficial to it chemically and physically, the surface soil has the power of arresting and fixing a large quantity of plant food, 14 especially Ammonia, some of which it gets from the atmosphere, phosphate of lime and potash. The first inch of top soil, (which is 100 tons per acre of earth) gets the best chance of appropria- tion and then come the next and lower ones. As plants multiply their side fibres near the surface we may comprehend why surface manuring is so often found beneficial. The sub-soil is cold, dense, pale and unaltered, altogether different from the friable and manured surface soil. It is therefore necessary to break up the sub-soil and intermix it with the upper soil. This is best done in this country by digging up the garden beds early in the hot season when the ground is lying fallow and letting the sun's rays act fully on the up-turned clods, which, on the first showers of the monsoon will crumble and be easily worked. EARTHING UP. — This is performed by the hand and a small spade, or with a large sized hoe ; it consists in turning up the ground round the stocks of plants, so as to support and nourish them, — a thing very essential to the growth of all kinds of vege- tables, potatoes, peas, beans, &c. ESCULENT ROOTS — delight in a light, rather sandy, deep and well stirred soil. It must be dry at bottom, but a moist atmos- phere and moderate temperature are greatly favorable to the growth of them. ESPALIER TREES. — Such as are suitable for, or are planted against rails or upright trellis- work, which are much more suit- able for India than walls. ETIOLATION. — A disease of plants which destroys their ver- dure and renders them pale : it arises from the want of the agency of light, and may also arise from the depredation of insects nestling in the radicle, and consuming the food of the plant, and thus debilitating the vessels of the leaf, so as to render them unsusceptible of the action of light, for on exam- ining with a microscope, the leaves of peas and other plants in this state, the meally greyish appearance evidently arose from eggs and excretions deposited upon them by a minute greenish coloured insect which was seen feeding, and moving in every direction upon their surface ; this readily accounts for the de- struction of the stem and plant. A similar appearance was ob- 15 served on Mango blossoms and leaves after a succession of cloudy days. EXPOSURE AND SHELTER. — Solitary trees become greatly larger than those that are crowded, whilst their roots are always proportioned to the branches, the same is true with regard to nearly all garden plants, which extend in proportion to their room; hence the necessity of wide planting when trees or shrubs with spreading heads are set out to grow. FOOD OF PLANTS. — Vegetables cannot live without a supply of food, and are incapable of moving to look for it. The food of all plants varies but little. The difference between some garden plants and others is in their greater delicacy ; hence the nourishment given to them requires only a little more delicacy in its preparation. Young plants require on first germinating from seed, a differ- ent nourishment than when more advanced, — after they have exhausted the nourishment in the seed lobes and seed leaves. Plants derive their nourishment from two sources, the earth and the atmosphere, but principally from the soil through the roots. It is chiefly in the form of water holding various solid matters, in solution that the nutritive matter of the soil is received by the roots, which are furnished at their extremities with spongioles or sucking mouths possessing an amazing power of absorption. FIBRINE — is a peculiar substance which chemists extract from the blood and muscles of animals. This substance constitutes the fibrous part of the muscles, and resembles gluten in its appearance and elasticity, and a substance possessing the same properties, has been found by Vanquelin in the juice of the Papaw tree : it is called vegetable fibrine. GERMINATING OF SEEDS. — Some seeds, such as Coffee, require to be sown immediately on being gathered, otherwise the nutri- ent matter contained in the shell becomes too hard to be dis- solved in water. Seeds gathered before they are quite ripe, ger- minate sooner than very ripe ones ; because the nutrient matter is less hard, and more easily diluted with water. But though 16 seeds when gathered before they are quite ripe, germinate sooner, it does not follow that they will produce the best plants. GLUTEN — is that part of the paste formed from the flour of wheat that remains unaffected by the water after all the starch contained in it has been washed off. This is a tough and elastic substance, of a dark white colour, without taste, but of a very peculiar smell : it is found in fruits and grain such as Peas, Beans, Barley, Acorns, Chesnuts, Apples, Quinces ; also in leaves, such as Cabbage, Cresses, Saffron, &c. ; and also in the petals of the Rose; and is the most important of all vegetable substances. GRAFTING. — The most common method, and in general use in the Deccan, is by approach, although crown and stock-graft- ing are both practised by the gardeners in Bombay and Salsette : the latter is done by making a hole in the bark of a stock and inserting the scions therein while the tree is growing, but nine out of ten generally fail. HAUM OR HAULMN. — The lower part of the straw after the ears are cut off ; in gardening the term is generally applied to leguminous vegetables after their produce has been gathered. HEADING. — The growing of the leaves of a plant into a roundish head or loaf. HEAT — is essentially necessary for the growth of plants, as it is obvious that no plant could take up frozen liquids. The process of fermentation and putrefaction, by which are pro- duced the supply of Carbonic Acid Gas, Humic Acid,* and Azote, is indispensable to vegetation, as it cannot go on without it. HERBARIUM. — The dried plants for surpass either drawings or descriptions, in giving complete ideas of their appearance. When plants are well dried, the original forms and positions of even their minutest parts (though not their colours) may at any time be restored by immersion in hot water. The mode or state in which the plants are preservedis general desiccation, accompanied by pressing. The greater part of plants dry with facility between the leaves of books or blotting paper, the smoother the better. If there be plenty of paper, they often dry without shifting, but * Humic acid— the principal ingredient of all manures. 17 if the specimens are crowded, they must be taken out frequently, and the paper dried before they are replaced. Some vegetables are so tenacious of their vital principle, that they will grow be- tween papers ; the consequence is a destruction of their proper habit and colours. It is therefore necessary to destroy the life of such by immersion in^ boiling water, or by the application of a hot iron such as is used for linen, after which they a^e easily dried. The herbarium should, be kept in as d.ry a place a,& possible, and free from insects. HYBRIDIZATION. — The process thpugh very simple requires much care and attention as well as patience. In the first instance, it consists merely in applying the pollen pf the flowers of one variety to thos^e o,f another of the same species. The strange, pollen grain resting on the stigma of one of the latter flowers, in process of time, puts forth a microscopic tubule, and penetrating the tissue of the stigma it finely reaches ^he ovule to, which it communicates the principle of life. The ovule finally matured is a, $e,ec( — in this instance a seed borne pf one flpwer and receiving the vital principle of another. Seve- ral precautions are necessary to a successful issue. The flower in which the operation is to be performed, must be deprived of its pwn anthers before the pollen they secrete is matured and fitted for its functions in the vegetable organism,. In some flowers, in. which the ripening of ^he pp.llen takes place before the expansion pf the flower, this is almost impossible, as th,e flower in such case must be torn open while it is yet unexpanded ; in others it may be managed by using a very delicate pair of lady's scissors. Se- lecting a flpwer of another variety of the species the pollen' pf which is just ripe or nearly so, it may be removed by a fine camel's Hair brush from the anthers and transferred to the stigma of the first flower. It is then customary amongst some cultivators to tie a little bag of fine gauze or muslin over the flower thus treated toy prevent the application of any other farina, by the intervention of insects, or the wind which, might interfere with the result. Others are again content witfy the simple ticketing so as to be able at seed time to distinguish the flower. The usual process then goes on, the flower fades, and in time ripens when it must be? carefully collected and stored up in a marked box. 3 18 HORTUS SiCCUS. — After having collected as good a specimen as possible of the plant, lay it flat, disposing of it in the best man- ner, betwixt sheets of white paper, so that the flowers and leaves do not interfere with each other : put this on a quire of blotting paper, and also a quire over it, and then apply a weight on the top — books answer this purpose very well. The next day put dry blotting paper as before, first opening the sheet of paper, and making any alterations in the disposition of parts. Dried speci- mens are to be fixed into slips of paper or glued with common glue. These should be kept in shelves or drawers. To prevent the depredation of insects, Dr. Smith recommends a solution of corrosive sublimate (muriate of mercury,) in some spirits of wine, with which the plants are, when dry, to be gently moistened. IMPERFECT PLANTS. — Apparently defective in one or other of the more conspicuous parts or organs, whether conservative or reproductive, are denominated imperfect, and are called Cryptogamous, because their organs of fructification are not yet detected, or are so minute as to require the aid of a microscope to render 'them visible, as in the Filices, Musci, Hepaticee, Algae, Lichens, and Fungi. IMPROVEMENT OP SOILS. — Soils may be rendered more fit for answering the purposes of vegetation by pulverization, by con- solidation, by exposure to the atmosphere, by an alteration of their constituent parts, by changing their condition with respect to water, by changing their position with respect to atmospheri- cal influence, and by a change of the kind of plants cultivated. AH these improvements are independently of the application of manure. The fibres of roots take up the extract of the soil by intro-susception : the quantity taken up therefore will not depend alone on the quantity in the soil, but on the number of the absorbing fibres. The more the soil is pulverized, the more these fibres are increased : and the more extract is absorbed, the more vigorous does the plant become. Pulverization, therefore, is not only advantageous, previous to planting or sowing, but also during the progress of vegetation, when applied in the intervals between the plants. In this last case it operates also in the way of pruning, and by the cutting off the extending fibres, causes them 19 to branch out numerous others, by which the mouths or pores of the plant are greatly increased, and such food as is in the soil has the better chance of being sought after and taken up by them . Pulverization increases the capillary attraction, or sponge-like property of soils, by which their humidity is rendered more uni- form. It is proved that capillary attraction must be greatest when the particles of the earfch are finely divided, for gravel and sand hardly retain water at all, while clays not open by pulveriza- tion, or other means, either do not absorb water, or when by long action it is absorbed, they retain too much. Water is not only necessary to the growth of plants, as such, but it is essential to the production of extract from the vegetable matters they contain, and unless the soil, by pulverization or otherwise, is so constituted as to retain the quantity of water requisite to produce this extract, the addition of manures will be in vain. Manure is useless to vegetation until it becomes soluble in water, and it would remain useless in a state of solution if it so abounded as wholly to seclude air, for then the fibres or mouths, unable to perform their functions, would soon decay and rot off ; as is the case with flowers or shrubs in pots where there is no opening, so that the air cannot circulate round the roots. Pulverization leads to the increase of vegetable food. Water is known to be a condenser and solvent of carbonic acid gas ; which, where the land is open, can be immediately carried to the roots of vegetables, and contributes to their growth ; but if the earth be close, and the water lie on or near its surface, then the car- bonic gas, which always exists in the atmosphere, and is carried down by rains, will soon be dissipated. An open soil, therefore, is always suitable for effecting those changes in the manure itself which are equally necessary to the preparation of such food. Animal and vegetable substances exposed to the alternate action of heat, moisture, light and air, undergo spontaneous decom- position which would not otherwise take place. — A very good compost for improving stiff soils is made by equal parts of lime and woodashes with two parts of sand. In soils that are very light, it is advantageous to roll or beat down seeds, as it prevents the light soil from drifting, and also (a very material point) hinders ants from carrying them away. 20 Stagnant wafer may be 'considered as injurious to all the useful classes of plants, by obstructing perspiration and intro-susception — thus diseasing their roots and submerged parts. INARCHING, OR GRAFTING BY APPROACH. — This is a very common method all over India, and is performed by bringing the stock you -would graft upon close to the tree from which you wish to take a branch, and which remains united until the two branches are firmly connected together : the stem is then divided near the istook and removed. Process. — Either having the stocks arid trees designed to inarch from growing in the ground near together, or in pots, or that you wish to inarch some branches of trees, and that the said branches are three or more feet from fche ground, and suppose tthe stocks you would graft upon to be in pots or boxes, in that case you must erect a slight stage close to, and as high as, the branches of the tree, for placing the stocks upon. Thus far, then, in either case, you have proceeded. Take one of the branches you desire to inarch, and bring the body of the said branch to touch that of the stock at such a convenient height, where the stock and graft is nearly of the same size, and mark the parts where the stock and graft will most readily unite ; then, in that part of the branch, pare away the bark and part of the wood about three inches in length, and in the same manner let the rind and wood be pared off that side of the stock where the branch is to be joined, the same length and breadth, so that both the cut parts may exactly join, rind to rind, and be united in the middle ; }et .them then be immediately tied together with tape, as closely an(J firmly as possible ; then tie round the whole in a smooth man- ger. A piece of wax cloth, or else a composition of clay and cow- dung, must be fastened round the whole ; the objection to the lat- ter method is, that it becomes the receptacle for insects, ants in particular, and you are in danger of having your grafts spoiled. Af £er this, to prevent the wind from displacing the grafts, a strong S,tajke should be driven in the ground, close to the stock, to which they should be tied. The stock and graft should remain in this position for at least ten weeks, though sometimes they will be united much sooner. This method of raising trees may be follow- ed at any season, except in the rains. 21 INSKCTS — which infect the plants are almost as numerous as the 'plants themselves, almost every species having a particular insect which it seems destined by nature to support. The eggs of insects seldom increase in size from the time they have been deposited by the parent until they are hatched. Different species of insects remain enclosed in the egg for different periods : some continue enclosed in the egg for months, others only for a few days. The insect in its second or caterpillar state is usually known by the name of Eruca or Larva. The Larva of insects differ very much from each other, according to the several tribes to which they belong : — those of the Butterfly (Papilio) and Moth (Phalina) are generally known by the name of Caterpillars; those of the Beetle, (Scarabeus) and those that inhabit the water, are called grubs. LAWN. — In gardening, a surface of turf or grasses, kept short by frequent cutting, and generally situated near the house. LIME. — If quick lime, either fresh, or burnt, or slaked, be mixed with moist vegetable substances, it soon destroys their texture, and forms a mixture the greater part of which can be dissolved in water, thus rendering what was previously useless fit for the food of plants. It is much more useful in farms than gardens. LIGHT — is essentially necessary to the growth of plants, as also its exclusion for blanching or etiolation, as no exposure to cold or fresh air would produce toughness and hardiness1, if plants were kept in the dark ; and no absence of cold or fresh air would pro- duce blanching if light were admitted. A .partial exclusion of light .causes plants to be pale and sickly, as in the shade of thick woods or under trees, as is the case where plants shoot out long branches in search of air and light : hence the term is said to be drawn. Light appears to be as necessary to the health of plants as air or moisture. A plant may indeed grow without it, but it does not appear a species could be so continued. Under such a privation, the parts which are usually so grown assume a white colour, as is the case with vegetables grown in a cellar, or protected by a covering for the sake of producing this very effect : thus Celery, Endive, &c., is in this manner blanched or etiolated. " The part of the process of vegetable life for which light is especially essential, appears to be in the functions of the leaves ; these are affected by this agent in a remarkable degree. The 22 moisture that plants imbibe is by their vital energies carried to their leaves, and is there brought in contact with the atmos- phere, which, besides other ingredients, contains in general a portion of carbonic acid. So long as light is present, the leaf decomposes the carbonic acid, appropriates the carbon to the formation of its own proper juices, and returns the disengaged oxygen into the atmosphere, thus restoring the atmospheric air to a condition in which it is more fitted, than it was before, for the support of animal life." " The plant thus prepares the support of life for other crea- tures at the same time that it absorbs its own. The greenness of those members which effect that colour, and the disengage- ment of oxygen, are the indications that its vital powers are in healthful action. As soon as we remove light from a plant these indications cease : it has no longer power to imbibe carbon, and disengage oxygen, but, on the contrary, it gives back some of the carbon already obtained, and robs the atmosphere of oxygen for the purpose of re-converting this into carbonic acid." — Whewell. — Bridgewater Treatise. [LIQUID MANURE — is very useful used with caution — when ap- plied in too concentrated a form it is pernicious. A small quan- tity of fresh cowdung, pig dung, poultry dung, guano, &c., mixed with a large body of water, just sufficient to discolor it is what is required, not a thick muddy liquid. This liquid manure may be applied to the roots of Roses, Chrysanthemums and most plants when they are near their season for flowering, and the soil should be hoed and broken up previously to allow the liquid manure to sink in to the roots. Avoid soiling the leaves and flowers. POUDRETTE is an excellent top-dressing for Arums, Colocasias, Iresine and Canna, but should not be mixed at all with soil in which seeds are to be sown for it will inevitably kill them. Well rotted leaf mould is an excellent fertiliser and should be used for all composts. — ED.] Excellent Dressing for Gardens. — The use of the following manure is described as being so beneficial as to be followed by a four-fold increase of produce, and is well adapted for the flower and kitchen garden. In a pit about twenty feet long, twelve or fourteen wide, and fifteen or eighteen deep, put a 23 layer of dung, and on that a layer of earth, and so alternately till the pile is elevated a foot or two above the level of the ground, watering each layer of earth with a strong solution of saltpetre — this should be left undisturbed for six months. When this compost is moved, it will be found wholly converted into earth, presenting no trace of the dung. Guano, like farm-yard dung, is variable in its composition. It is the dung of birds which feed on fish, and consists prin- cipally of salts of ammonia and phosphates, with a little soda and potash. Attempts are being made to produce an artificial guano by a mixture of the mean of the various salts which it con- tains, which shall be more uniform in character. In using these concentrated saline mixtures, it is hazardous to drill them in with the seed, as there is a danger of their killing it during germination : they should be used as a top-dressing, and sewn by hand with care, so as to distribute it as equally as possible over the plot of ground. LOAM — is a yellowish or brownish kind of clay, sometimes con- taining a considerable proportion of sand. It occurs in immense beds, and is found in almost every part of the world. MANURE. — This term is applied indiscriminately to all sub- stances which are known from experience either to enrich the different soils, or contribute in any other way to render them more favorable to vegetation. In an agricultural point of view, the subject of manures is of the utmost importance. To correct what is hurtful to vegetation in the different soils, and to restore what is lost by exhausting crops, are operations in agriculture which may be compared to the curing diseases in the animal body, or supplying the waste occasioned by labour. Rotted dung is very much superior in imbibing and retaining water to that which is fresh, unfermented, or beginning to ferment. The quantity of humic acid is considerably greater in rotted than fresh dung, and it approaches nearer to the best leaf mould or virgin loam. Lime should never be applied with animal manures unless they are too rich, or for the purpose of preventing noxious effluvia : 24 it is injurious when mixed with any common drug, and tends, to render the extractive matter insoluble. It is beneficial to all- new soils, especially where the salts of iron are found. Animal and vegetable manures are used to renovate worn-out lands by supplying new soluble and gaseous matter for the nour- ishment of the plant. This is not a permanent good , and requires to be constantly renewed, as it ia found by experience that vegetable and animal substances, used as manure, are consumed during the process of vegetation. The Chinese use every animal and vegetable refuse ; everything of disgusting appearance and offensive effluvia they collect carefully and use as beneficial agents in vegetation, thus converting the loathsome a,nd revolting into, wholesome and inviting. T^he great object in the application of manure should be to make it afford as much soluble matter as possible to the roots of the plants, and that in a slow and gradual manner, so that it may be entirely consumed in forming, its sap and organized parts. Animal and vegetable manures can only nourish the plant by affording solid matter capable of being dissolved by water, or gaseous substances capable of being absorbed by the fluids in the leaves of vegetables. The following compost has been used in England, and it is said to have doubled the crops of potatoes and cabbages, an$ to be far superior to stable manure :^- Eaise a platform of earth eight feet wide, one foot high, anoV of any length according to the quantity wantecl. On the first stratum of earth lay a thin stratum of lime, fresh from the kiln : dissolve or slake this wi,th salt-brine from the nose of a watering pot; and immediately another layer of earth, then, lime and brine as before, carry it to any convenient height. In a week it should be turned over and carefu% broken and mixed, so that the mass may be thoroughly incorporated. MANURES OF VEGETABLE AND ANIMAL ORIGIN. — Experience shows that vegetable and animal substances deposited in the soil are consumed during the progress of vegetation, and they can only nourish the plant by affording solid matters capable of being dissolved by water, or gaseous substances capable of being- absorbed by the fluids in the leaves of vegetables; but such 25 parts of them as are rendered gaseous, and that pass into the atmosphere, must produce a comparatively small effect, for gasea soon become diffused through the mass of the surrounding air. The great object in the application of manure should be to make it afford as much soluble matter as possible to the roots of the plant ; and that in a slow and gradual manner, so that it may be entirely consumed in forming its sap and organized parts. Mucilaginous, gelatinous, saccharine, oily, and extractive fluids, and solution of carbonic acid gas in water, are substances that, in their unchanged state, contain almost all the essentials necessary for the life of plants; but there are few cases in which they can be applied in their pure form : and vegetable manures, in general, contain a great excess of fibrous and in- soluble matter, which must undergo chemical changes before they can become the food of plants. It will be proper to explain the nature of these changes, of the causes which occasion them, and which accelerate or retard them ; also of the products they afford. "If any fresh vegetable matter which contains sugar, mucilage, starch, or other of the vegetable compounds soluble in water, be moistened and exposed to air at a temperature from 55 to 80 degrees, oxygen will soon be absorbed, and carbonic acid formed : heat will be produced, and elastic fluids (principally carbonic acid gas, gaseous oxide of carbon, and hydro-carbonate) will be evolved, and a dark-coloured liquid, of a slightly sour or bitter taste, will likewise be formed ; and if the process be suffered to continue sufficiently long, nothing solid will remain except earthy and saline matter, coloured by black charcoal. The dark- coloured fluid formed in the fermentation always contains acetic acid, and when albumen or gluten exists in the vegetable sub- stance it likewise contains volatile alkali. In proportion as there is more gluten, albumen, or matter soluble in water, in the vegetable substances exposed to fermentation, so in proportion, all other circumstances being equal, will the process be more rapid. Pure woody fibre alone undergoes a change very slowly, but its texture is broken down, and it is easily resolved into new elements when mixed with substances more liable to change, containing more oxygen and hydrogen. Volatile and fixed oils, 4 26 resins, and wax, are more susceptible of change than woody fibre when exposed to air and water, but much less liable than the other vegetable compounds: and even the most inflammable substances, by the absorption of oxygen become gradually solu- ble in water. Animal matters, in general, are more liable to decompose than vegetable substances: oxygen is absorbed, and carbonic acid and ammonia formed, in the process of their putrefaction. They produce foetid compound elastic fluids, and likewise azote ; they afford dark-coloured acid, and oily fluids, and have a residuum of salts and earths mixed with carbonaceous matter. The principal substances which constitute the different parts of animals, or which are found in their blood, their secretions, or their excrements, have been classed and analyzed by Sir Hum- phrey Davy and others. It is unnecessary to describe these mi- nutely, but merely to state that a difference exists in each, and that the ammonia given off from animal compounds in putrefac- tion may be conceived to be formed, at the time of their decom- position, by the combination of hydrogen and azote. Except thia matter, the other products of putrefaction are analogous to those afforded by the fermentation of vegetable substances ; and the soluble substances formed abound in the elements which are the constituent parts of vegetables, in carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Whenever manures consist principally of matter soluble in water, it is evident that their fermentation or putrefaction should be prevented as much as possible ; and the only cases in which these processes can be useful are when the manure consists prin- cipally of vegetable or animal fibre. The circumstances necessary for the putrefaction of animal substances, and also of vegetables, are, a temperature above the freezing point, and the presence of oxygen at least in the first stage of the process. To prevent manures from decomposing, they should be preserved dry, de- fended from the contact of air, and kept as cool as possible. As different manures contain different proportions of the ele- ments necessary to vegetation, so they require a different treat- ment to enable them to produce their full effects in agriculture- All green succulent plants contain saccharine or mucilaginous matter, with woody fibre, and readily ferment. They cannot, 27 therefore, when intended for manure, be used too soon after their death. Green crops intended for enriching the soil, should be ploughed in when the flower is beginning to appear, that being the period when they contain the greatest quantity of easily soluble matter, and when their leaves are most active in forming nutritive matter. Green crops, pond weeds, the parings of hedges or ditches, or any kind of fresh vegetable matter, requires no preparation to fit them for manure. The decomposition proceeds slowly beneath the soil ; the soluble matters are gradually dissolved, and the slight fermentation that goes on, checked by the want of free communication of air, tends to render the woody fibre soluble, without occasioning the rapid dissipation of elastic matter. When pastures are broken up and made arable, not only has the soil been enriched by the death and slow decay of the plants which have left soluble matters in the soil, but the leaves and roots of the grasses living at the time, and occupying so large a part of the surface, afford saccharine, mucilaginous, and extrac- tive matters, which become immediately the food of the crop, and the gradual decomposition affords a supply for successive years. Sir Humphrey Davy instituted a number of experiments in sup- port of the theory he advanced, that straw should be used in an unfermented state ; and there can be little doubt but that great loss is sustained by the farmer under the practice that still prevails to a great extent, of fermenting and re-fermenting the dung-heap by frequent turnings, as much of the gaseous matter is dissipated and lost by every operation. Dry straw of wheat, oats, barley, beans, and peas, and spoiled hay, or any other similar kind of dry vegetable matter, is in all cases useful manure. In general, such substances are made to ferment before they are employed, though it may be doubted whether the practice should be indiscriminately adopted. There can be no doubt but that the straw of different crops immediately ploughed into the ground, affords nourishment to plants, but there is an objection to this method of using straw, from the difficulty of burying long straw, and from its rendering the husbandry foul. 28 When straw is made to ferment, it becomes a more manage- able manure ; but there is likewise, in the whole, a great loss of nutritive matter. More manure is, perhaps, supplied for a single crop, but the land is less improved than it would be supposing the whole vegetable matter were finely divided and mixed with the soil. The dung of birds that feed on animal food, such as sea-birds, is considered the most powerful amongst the excrementitious solid substances used as manure. The guano, which is used to a great extent in South America, being the manure that fertilizes the sterile plains of Peru, is a production of this kind. It exists abundantly on the small rocky islands on the coasts, whither sea- fowl resort at certain seasons, and being gathered, forms an arti- cle of commerce. Night-soil is a well known and powerful manure, and very liable to decompose. It differs in composition, but always abounds in substances composed of carbon, hydrogen, azote, and oxygen. From the analysis of Berzelius, it appears that a part of it is always soluble in water, and in whatever state it is used, whe- ther recent or fermented, it supplies abundance of food to plants. The disagreeable smell of night-soil may be destroyed by mix- ing it with quicklime, and if exposed to the atmosphere in thin layers, strewed over with quicklime in fine weather, it speedily dries, is easily pulverised, and in this state may be used in the same manner as rape cake, and delivered into the furrow of the seed. The Chinese, who greatly esteem this mixture, mix it with one-third of its weight of fat marl, make it into cakes, and dry it in the sun. These cakes have no disagreeable smell, and form a common article of commerce in that populous empire. We shall hereafter describe the manner in which this and other "fertilizers" are prepared for sale in this country. Pigeons' dung comes next in order as to fertilizing power. By digesting 100 grains in hot water for several hours, it will yield twenty-three grains of soluble matter ; and this affords abundance of carbonate of ammonia by distillation, leaving carbonaceous mat- ter, saline matter, and carbonate of lime, as a residuum. Pigeons ' dung when moist, readily ferments, but after fermentation con- tains less soluble matter than before, as when, in that state, 29 100 parts will yeild only eight of soluble matter, with propor- tionably less carbonate of ammonia, making it evident that it should be applied as new as possible. The dung of domestic fowls possesses the same properties as that of pigeons, but in an inferior degree. Babbit's dung has been used with great suc- cess, and is best when laid on as fresh as possible. The dung of cattle, oxen, and cows, contains matter soluble in water, and gives in fermenting nearly the same products as vegeta- ble substances, absorbing oxygen, and producing carbonic acid gas. The recent dung of sheep and goats afford, when long boiled in water, soluble matters, which equal from two to three per cent, of their weight. These contain a small quantity of matter analogous to animal mucus, principally composed of a bitter ex- tract soluble in water and in alcohol. They appear to differ little in composition, both giving ammoniacal fumes by distillation. The part of the dung of cattle, sheep, and goats, not soluble in water, is the mere woody fibre analogous to the residuum of those vegetables that form their food after they have been deprived of their soluble materials. The dung of horses gives a brown fluid, which when evapo- rated yields a bitter extract, which affords ammoniacal fumes more copiously than that from the dung of oxen. If the pure dung of cattle is used as manure, there seems no reason why it should be made to ferment except in the soil : or if suffered to ferment, it should be only in a very slight degree. The grass in the neighbourhood of recently voided dung is always coarse and dark green, but this must not be attributed to a noxious quality in unfermented dung, but rather the result of excess of food furnished to the plants. The dung of horses and cattle is however usually mixed up with straw and other matters, and consigned to a general heap called the dunghill, and as this contains a large proportion of fibrous vegetable matter, a slight incipient fermentation, sufficient to induce a disposition to decay and dissolve when brought upon the land and ploughed in, is certainly advantageous ; but although this is necessary to the woody fibre, we must bear in mind that too great a fermentation is highly prejudicial to the composite manure in the dunghill, and it is better in fact that there should 30 be no fermentation before the manure is used than that it should be carried too far. This is a very important matter to observe, for excess of fermentation tends to the destruction aud dissipation of the most useful part of the manure, and the ultimate results of this process are like those of combustion. Woodashes not too much reduced have been used with success as manure. A part of their effects may be owing to the slow and gradual consumption of the charcoal, which seems capable, under other circumstances than those of actual combustion, of absorbing oxygen so as to become carbonic acid. Animal substances, such as putrid meat or carcases of beasts, require no chemical preparation to fit them for the soil. The object of the farmer should be to blend them with earthy con- stituents in a proper state of division, so as to prevent their too rapid decomposition. After taking the skin off dead animals, they should be covered with six times their bulk of soil mixed with one part lime, and suffered to remain for a few months, mixing a little more quicklime with the mass at the time of its removal, which will destroy the effluvia. Fish is a powerful manure, and should be ploughed in fresh, but not in too great quantities, or the crop will be rank. In Corn- wall, where this manure is very general in the pilchard season, they mix the fish with sand or seaweed. There is a small fish, called the stickleback, also applied as manure in the fens of Lincon- shire and other counties. The operation of fish as a manure is easily explained. The skin is principally gelatine, which from its slight state of cohesion is readily soluble in water. Fat or oil is always found in fishes ; and their fibrous matter contains all the essential elements of vegetable substance. The effects of a manur- ing of fish are apparent for several years. Bones have lately come into great use as a manure, and a pow- erful auxiliary they are to a tenant entering upon a worn-out farm, being cheap, easy of carriage, available in all situations, and insuring a crop. The more divided they are, the more powerful their effect ; but when broken instead of ground to dust, they are more lasting. 31 The basis of bones is constituted by earthy salts, principally phosphate of lime, with some carbonate of lime, and phosphate of magnesia : the easily decomposable substances in bone, are fat, gelatine, and cartilage, which seems of the same nature as coagulated albumen. [Superphosphate of lime. — Onelbof bone dust mixed with twelve oz. of sulphuric acid (oil of vitriol) and twelve oz. of water if left to act upon each other for a day form superphosphate of lime, a •wine-glass of which has been found beneficial to geraniums. There is little doubt that this superphosphate is excellent manure for flowers, and all kitchen garden crops, being more prompt in its effect than simple bone dust, because it is soluble in water and therefore more readily presented to the roots in a state for them to imbibe. Bones broken into small pieces mixed with charcoal are good drainage for geranium and other soft wooded plants. — To prepare superphosphate puddle and plaster a floor of clay ; when dry throw down a quantity of bone dust and surround it with an edging of ashes — on this pour the proportion of Sul- phuric acid keeping well to windward in so doing, let the mass seethe a day and it will become superphosphate. — ED.] Horn is a still more powerful manure than bone, as it contains a larger quantity of decomposable animal matter : 100 grains of ox-horn yield only 1/5 grains of earthy residuum, and not quite half of this is phosphate of lime. The shavings and turnings of horn form an excellent manure, the animal matter in them ap- pearing of the nature of coagulated albumen, which is slowly rendered soluble by the action of water. The earthy matter in horn, and still more in bones, prevents the too rapid decomposi- tion of the animal matter, and renders the effects very durable. Blood contains certain quantities of all the principles found in other animal substances, and is therefore a very good manure. — Magazine of Domestic Economy. [Burnt Earth — Is a very valuable manure, particularly for Roses, for Fuschias and all delicate soft wooded plants. The following is a good method of burning earth in a large quantity. Collect in a heap a number of rough branches and litter from pruning opera- tions, build a wall of turf about three feet high of a semi-circu- 32 Jar form around this litter. Set the branches on fire and when half burnt down, add weeds and other rubbish, and gradually cast earth over them to keep down the flames. The flame should not be allowed to break through and expend itself. Constant watch- ing is necessary. As the fire breaks through, the heap should be opened and a layer of branches and weeds added, and on them again a layer of earth. The fire should be spread through the whole heap and a large amount of earth may be burnt by con- tinually adding to those places where it appears the strongest. The earth to be burnt may be of the stiffest nature. Mr. Caunell, the great Fuschia grower of Woolwich attributes much of his success to using no soil for his Fuschias until it has been burnt. The following is his plan : " I build up with bricks a rough furnace about one foot high, and if I can get some old bars to form a draught so much the better. The size of the fire is that of the largest old tea tray that can be procured, A good coke fire is made up and the soil being handy it is put on the tray and with a bricklayer's trowel turned over while hot. In this way a considerable quantity can soon be slightly burnt and purified and can then be stowed away in any old boxes to be ready for use as required. I am convinced that no dung ought to be used for pot plants until it has undergone this process." — ED.] PARASITIC PLANTS. — Such as root into other living plants, and derive their nourishment from thence. — Some root into the stem or branches, as (viscus) the Misletoe ; others attach them- selves to the root, as Hypocistus. PEATY SOILS. — The formation of peaty soils is produced from very opposite causes,_and it is interesting to contemplate how the same effect may be produced by different means, and the earth, which supplies almost all our wants, may become barren, alike from the excessive application of art or the utter neglect of it. PERFECT PLANTS — are divided into conservative and repro- ductive. The conservative organs are such as are absolutely necessary to the growth and preservation of the plant, includ- ing the roots, trunk, branch, leaf and fruit. 33 PREPARING GROUND. — Having selected your spot, which you. wish to prepare for either sowing crops or making a plantation, the first thing to be done is to clear it of weeds by drying or ploughing the whole up well, exposing the earth to the action of the sun and air, then breaking up the clods of earth and removing the weeds, which should be burnt on the spot, as the ashes form an excellent manure, and you are certain that the weeds are destroyed. If your ground is of a clayish soil, which is seldom found in the Deccan, the best thing you can add to it is brick dust or ashes ; if of a light nature, the common manure, procurable in almost all situations in the neighbourhood of towns and villages, mixed with mud from the dry beds of tanks. If common manure is scarce, see the artificial compost recommended under the head Manure. PROPAGATING BY CUTTINGS. — The choice of cuttings should be made from the side shoots of plants, rather than from their sum- mits or main stems, as the strength and health of side shoots being equal to those nearest the ground should be preferred. The pro- per time of taking cuttings from the mother plant is when the sap is in full motion, in order that when returning by the bark it may form a callus, or protruding ring of granular substance, between the bark and wood, whence the roots proceed. As this callus, or ring of spongy matter, is generally best formed in ripened wood, the cuttings, when taken from the mother plants, should contain a part of the former year ; or in plants which grow twice a year, of the wood of the former growth ; or in the case of plants which are continually growing, such wood as has begun to ripen, or as- sume a brownish colour. The cuttings will vary in length, accord- ing to their strength and manner of growth, from six inches to a foot ; they should be planted in a shady situation, or else protected from the sun by mats or otherwise. The distance of each should be from six to twelve inches apart, or even more where they grow quick and are likely to form large plants ; great care is also re- quisite that, in laying down the cuttings, they are put clear into the ground without injury to the bark. PROPAGATING BY LAYERS. — The work of laying the branches of trees, or shrubs, is easily performed, though it is not every tree that can be propagated in this manner. The first thing necessary 5 34 to be done, is to clear and dry up the ground round the tree or plant you propose to take layers from ; then gently bend down the branch, after having cleared it of all superfluous shoots, and lay ib in the ground about six inches deep, leaving the top uncovered — then put a stone on the earth that covers the shoot, sufficiently large to keep it in its place : wooden pegs are not so serviceable, from being apt to get loose from the mode of irrigation pursued in India, the white ants also generally destroy them. Should the branch be so high, or so strong, as not easily to be bent down, it may be necessary to cut a notch in it, in a sloping direction, so as to make it bend more easily ; then split the stem with a knife, towards a bud in that part of the branch which is laid in the ground ; this promotes its throwing out fibres, and therefore should be attended to. It is advisable not to remove the layer until it has been separated from the parent stock for a fortnight or more. PROPAGATING BY PIPINGS. — This me- thod is mostly adopted for the increase of carnations and pinks, and performed in the following manner: take one of the suckers of either the above flowers and divide the top shoot with a knife, just above the third joint; take the head of the shoot between the finger and thumb of one hand, and with the other hold the lower part of the shoot between a pair of leaves ; then pulling the head of the shoot gently it will readily come out of the socket — hence it is called the piping. These pipings are to be inserted in finely prepared earth, to the depth of the first joint or pipe. PRUNING — consists in removing all superfluous branches either for the purpose of increasing the fruit, enlarging the tree, making it bear better, and more regular in its appearance. Though an operationin general practice, it is nevertheless properly understood by few, and is only to be acquired by practice and observation, bearing in mind the various modes in which each tree is disposed to produce its fruit or flower, and being careful to remove such branches and slips only as may be necessary, without disfiguring or injuring the tree. Be careful in removing decayed branches, that 35 you cut them clean down to the place from which they were pro- duced, otherwise that part of the branch which is left will also decay and prove hurtful to the tree. RADIATION — is the spreading of heat, which arises from heat passing from a hot body to a cooler one near it. The spreading of heat takes place between the surface of the ground and the air when the air is cold : though the soil be warm it soon loses its heat, and dew or hoar frost is formed on the ground, or grass, by the moisture diffused in the air. But when the sky is co- vered with clouds, the spreading and loss of heat is in a great measure prevented, and hence there is no dew or hoar frost found on a calm cloudy night. Hence the use of protecting plants by a covering of matting, which stops the heat of the soil from spreading about and being lost in the air, REPRODUCTIVE OKGANS — are those parts of a plant which are essential to its propagation ; they include the flower, with its immediate accompaniments, or peculiarities, the flower, stalk, receptacle, and inflorescence, together with the ovary or fruit. RUNNERS — are young shoots issuing from the collar or summit of the root, and creeping along the surface of the soil, but produc- ing a new root, and leaves at the extremity, and forming a new individual, by the decay of the connecting link, as in the straw- berry. SAP — is taken up by the tip of the roots, fibres, or spongelets and carried into the interior of the stem, and although thin and clear at first, becomes thicker as it ascends in the plant. SOWING — is the first operation of rearing ; when seeds are de- posited singly, in rows or beds, they are said to be planted. When dropped in numbers together, they are said to be sown. The opera- tion of sowing is either performed in drills, patches, or broadcast. In broadcast sowing, the seed is scattered over a breadth of surface previously prepared by digging or otherwise, minutely pulverised. The seed is taken up in the hand and scattered regularly over the surface, so as to fall as equally as possible. A windy day is particularly to be avoided. Dry weather is also essentially neces- sary for sowing, more especially for covering in the seed. SPURIOUS PEATY SOILS. — Lakes and pools of water are sometimes filled up by the accumulation of the remains of aquatic plants, and 36 in this case a sort of spurious peat is formed, The fermentation in these cases seems to be of a different kind : much more gaseous matter is evolved, and the neighbourhood of morasses (or tanks) in which aquatic vegetables exist, is usually aguish and unheal- thy, whilst that of true peat formed on soils originally dry is always salubrious. Soils may generally be distinguished from mere masses of earth, by their friable nature, dark colour, and by the presence of some . vegetable fibre, or carbonaceous matter. The species of soil is always determined by the mixture of matters, and never by the colour or texture of that mixture, which belongs to the nomencla- ture of varieties. Thus a clayey soil with sand, is a sandy clay — this is the name of the species : if the mass is yellow or red, it is a yellow or red sandy soil, which expresses at once the genus, species and variety. The true nourishment of plants is water and organic matter. Both these exist only in soils, and not in pure earth, but the earthy parts of the soil are useful in retaining water, so as to sup- ply it in proper proportions to the roots of vegetables, and they are likewise efficacious in producing the proper distribution of the animal or vegetable matter. When equally mixed with it, they prevent it from decomposing too rapidly, and by these means the soluble parts are supplied in proper proportion. The power of soils to absorb water from air is much connected with fertility. When this power is great, the plant is supplied with moisture in dry seasons, and the effect of evaporation in the day is counteracted by the absorption of aqueous vapour from the atmosphere by the interior parts of the soil during the day, and by both the exterior and interior during the night, SUCKERS. — If you desire to get stocks, or plants, by this method, all that is necessary is, that the sucker, or young shoot which springs up from the root of the tree, should be carefully removed with a sufficiency of earth round it, so that the spongioles are in no way injured in the removal to the nursery bed or the spot where they are to remain. TENDRIL — Is the thread-shaped and generally spiral process is- suing from the stem, branch, or petiole, and sometimes from the 37 expansion of the leaf itself, being an organ by which plants of weak and climbing stems attach themselves to other plants or substances for support, — the tendril being much stronger than a branch of the same size. TEXTURE OF SOILS. — The perpendicular extent of roots are great- ly influenced by the looseness or compactness of the soil. As for instance, carrots, beet, &c. All deep penetrating roots, when placed in a hard or stiff soil not easily divisible, are not only dwarfed, but split into branches, or twisted, as it may be. Since, then, the mere texture of the soil, independently of the food of plants which it contains, produces such effects, it must be of the greatest importance to attend to these circumstances. TICKETING OF FLOWERS. — "When a piece of zinc is rubbed bright with sand or brick dust, and written on with a black lead pencil, the writing in the course of a few hours becomes black and indelible, and will withstand all weathers. Pieces used once may be brightened by rubbing on brick or tile, and employed as often as is desired." — Bombay Times. TRANSPLANTING. — If the object be to remove trees or shrubs, it is essentially necessary that the root fibres should be uninjured, and that a sufficiency of the soil attached to the roots be removed •with them. If you are transplanting vegetables, such as beet, carrots, turnips, &c., the best method is to use a straight dibber, place the roots perpendicularly without bending the tap-root, and then gently replace the earth around it. It may perhaps be ne- cessary, should the root fibres be injured, to remove some of the leaves, otherwise the remaining fibres will not be able to nourish the plant. When it is found impossible to preserve the root fibres from injury, or to replant them exactly in their former position, in order to diminish the loss of sap, the plants ought to be shaded from the light and sun, or a part of their leaves or branches cut off. The removing of plants or trees depends solely upon circum- stances ; and the principal facts to be remembered by gardeners are, that all trees and plants derive their nourishment through the tips of the root fibres, and that the sap carried into the leaves passes off by exposure to light and sunshine ; therefore the neces- 38 sity of great care being used to preserve the mouths (or spon- gioles) entire. Doctor Oake, M. D., of Southampton, states that it has been discovered that the best method of conveying plants to a distance is, by means of a wide-mouthed bottle, so covered up as to allow only a small aperture for the admission of air. The exhalation of the plant being condensed beneath the roof or -shoulder of the bottle, falls down, or rather distills again upon it, and constantly refreshes it with the results of its own evapora- tion ; while it enjoys the rays of the sun through the transparency of the vessel in which it is confined. In this way a primrose was conveyed to New Sydney from England. TRANSPLANTING, OR LAYING DOWN TURF. — Turfing, as the opera- tion is commonly called, consists in laying down turf on surfaces intended for lawns or borders. The turf is cut from a smooth firm part of a bank, or other ground free from coarse grass, in small patches about a foot square, and conveyed to the spot where it is to be used. The surface on which the turfs are to be laid ought previously to be dug or trenched, so as to be brought to one degree of consistency, and then rolled or beaten so that it may not afterwards sink. The turfs being laid so as to fit, are to be first beaten down individually, and then watered and rolled until the whole is smooth ; and even then it will require being watered by the hand during the dry season at least once a day. TRUNK — constitutes the principal bulk of a tree. WATER. — Water is essentially necessary for the nourishment of plants, and although some will grow and throw out flowers, they never form seed without it. The material which water holds in solution forms the import- ant part of nourishment, or otherwise causes the decay of plants. All water contains more or less atmospheric air, and water is more or less beneficial in proportion to the quantity mixed with it. Bain water, from its falling, collects a large proportion of air during its descent. 39 [ Watering. — Whenever water is necessary it should be given copiously, as slight sprinklings very frequently do more harm, than good. Hoe deeply and frequently leaving the soil light and porous. This is a golden rule. The ground in India has always a tendency to cake from the baking effects of the sun, to keep it open and porous it should always be forked after slight rain, and on the day following a copious watering, nothing could be more apropos than the following extract from Thomson's handy-book of the flower garden on the subject. "Water being the chief vehicle through which food is con- veyed to plants from the soil, and in the atmosphere, the pre- ventive of evaporation from the foliage, in order to be beneficial in these respects must be administered in such quantity as shall penetrate sufficiently deep into the ground to reach the roots in contradistinction to the too common method of merely painting or sprinkling the surface of the soil ; and as far as watering can effect the atmosphere, and feed and preserve the strength of plants in that manner during hot weather, its effects must be very limited indeed." " A mere sprinkling of the surface of the soil is productive of more evil than good. In its necessary rapid evaporation, the soil is robbed of its heat, and on stiff soils particularly, it leaves the surface in a hard and caked condition, rendering it a better heat conductor than when loose and porous ; and in proportion as the heat conducting power of the soil is increased, so also is the eva- poration of moisture. Therefore not only do surface sprinklings evaporate with the rising of the sun, without ever having reached the roots or materially benefited the plant, but the natural mois- ture which may rise, by capillary attraction, is also more likely to evaporate by the compact surface produced by daily sprinkling." One who thoroughly understands what he is about, and waters, when he does water, almost to irrigation, and plies the Dutch hoe among his crops, the next morning, is in a position to assert that his plants do derive unmistakeable benefit from watering, another who rests content with merely sprinkling the surface of the soil frequently, leaving it meanwhile to become a hardened crust, may assert with equal truth, that watering appears to do more harm than good. — ED.] 40 WINTERING. — Trees are brought into bearing by this process, which consists in carefully removing the earth from the trunk roots and laying them open, and at the same time picking off all the leaves. The tree is left in this way without water for a cer- tain period, and is thus brought into bearing by the nutrient matters and properties of the sap being thickened, and thus stored up and afterwards thrown into the buds, the pulp, wood, root, and crown of the root. The check to the growth of trees by wintering, &c., is thus advantageous — causing the leaf pulp to become thickened by the loss of water and oxygen. When it re- turns to the stem and crown of the roots, it lays the basis of fresh branches terminating in flower buds. Whereas were a plant to remain unmoved in a rich soil well watered, it would probably send up more sap than the light could readily deprive of its water and oxygen, and thence would push out new leaves to carry off the superabundance ; while there would be no pulp formed thick enough and containing enough of carbon to produce flowers. WORMS — may either be destroyed by picking them up by hand very early in the morning or late in the evening in moist weather, or by watering with lime or salt and water. WOUNDS IN TREES. — To heal wounds in trees, — make a varnish of common linseed oil rendered very dry, boiling it for the space of an hour with an ounce of litharge* of each pound of oil, mixed with calcined bones (pulverised and sifted) to the con- sistence of almost a liquid paste. The wounds are to be covered by means of a brush, after the bark and other substance has been pared off so as to render the whole as smooth and even as possible. The varnish must be applied in dry weather, in order that it may attach itself properly. * Vitrified Oxide of lead (Moordar Sing.) FLORICULTURAL LIST. Achimenes, Scrophulariacece. — These are very ornamental species of plants, and of easy culture ; the scaly tuberous roots, by which they are propagated must be carefully preserved during the dry weather, by occasionally moistening the earth in which they are kept, and after the commencement of the rains, the imbricated buds which they produce underground, may be divided and planted out. Adonis, Ranunculacece — Derives its name from the blood red colour of most of the species, the Autumnalis is more generally called the " Pheasant's eye" and in England much admired, the plants thrive in any good soil, they seldom exceed a foot in height, and being of a bushy nature should not be closer to each other than eighteen inches and planted three or four in a group. They may be raised by seed, or by dividing the root and sown after the monsoon. Aerides, Orchidacece, A. Odorata. — These plants possess the power of living almost entirely upon the matter which they absorb from the atmosphere, the flowers are very fragrant and hang in long racemes of a light flesh colour and spotted, from six inches to a foot long, they grow from the axils of the leaves, appearing in April and May, and are found on the Mahablesh- war Hills and the Ghauts. AgapanthuSj Umbellatus. — This is a beautiful blue Lily brought from the Cape, and requires the same treatment as the other species. Is propagated by dividing the roots. A light peat sandy soil, mixed with old vegetable manure. Alternanthera. — These are very hardy, pretty dwarf foliage plants from Brazil, extremely useful for edging, ribband and carpet gardening, easily propagated from cuttings in sand under glass. At a particular period of their growth, they turn from a dull bronze to a brilliant crimson and pink variegation, as soon as they show symptoms of flowering they should be cut down again 6 42 and will after a time renew their bright foliage. They stand the heat and drought as well as the wet season. The varieties are A. Amoena, Sessilis and A. Versicolor or Telianthera. Amaranthus. — A showy class of Annuals with brilliant coloured leaves, natives of India — grow in the rainy season, require rich soil and plenty of moisture. The best kinds are Amaranthus Elegantissimus. A. Tricolor giganteus. A. Melancholeus ruber. Princes' Feather. Amaryllis Belladonna, Equestris, Mexican, Cape, American, Asiatica. — All these blossom during the rainy and cold season, and form a great ornament when judiciously planted amongst other border flowers. The colours are of every variety — red, white, pink, &c. The large flowering sorts are greedily devoured by birds and insects, and require much care to prevent their being destroyed. Is propagated as all other kinds of bulbous roots. Amaryllis Frittilaria, or Snake's Head Lily. — From Amarysso, resplendent. The wild flower hangs pendulous, and is chequered with pale dark purple name from Frittillas, a dice board. Most of the species are natives of China, the Cape of Good Hope, and America ; they have become quite acclimated in India, and are found almost in every flower-garden under the names of Mexican Barbadoes, Turk's Cap, Tiger Lily, Parrot, &c. Is propagated by the off-sets of the bulb, which in one year will produce from three to a dozen fresh plants. A good rich, old vegetable soil : if the subsoil is rather porous, the better when gr0wn in pots; be careful that there is a small hole in the bottom, and that the pots are of a sufficient size to admit the expansion freely of the bulbs, which after the decay of the old flowering stalk may be separated and transplanted : if in borders, they will blossom dur- ing the rains and cold weather, and many during the hot season. Anagallis Indica, Primulacece. — This plant is a native of Nepal colour blue, of easy culture and propagated by cuttings in any common soil. Anthemis Purprea Gompositce. — The " Chamomile" plants flowers yellow, white, and purple, so common in Europe, as to need no further description. 43 Aquilegia Alpina, Ranunculacetv, Columbine. — The several spe- cies are very ornamental, grow in any moderate good soil and increase plentifully by seed. Arabis Eosea Cruciferce. — These species of plants of which there are seven are chiefly adapted for ornamenting rock work in Europe, being natives of many parts of the world. Aralia. — A class of handsome foliage plants chiefly from Japan, much used in Europe for subtropical or fine leaf garden- ing, of these the Aralia papyrifera or China rice paper plant, from hot moist parts of China, does well in the Deccan and is reproduced by off-sets, is very hardy only requiring plenty of room, rich soil and abundance of water. Ardisia Crenulata, Myrsinacece. — These are handsome species of plants of easy culture in a good soil, and easily increased by cuttings from the root, the A. Elegans, lanceolata, solanacea, are natives of India. Argemone, Papaveracece. — Hardy Annuals and perennials grow- ing easily from seed in any common soil. The seeds yield an oil used for common purposes, and the fresh root bruised and applied to the part stung by a scorpion affords relief. Aristolochia,Aristolochiacece. — These are mostly climbing plants, some of the species natives of India, growing in any good soil the A. Acuminata bearing large drooping flowers of a dark purple colour, the root is exceedingly bitter, and is said to be an antidote to the bite of poisonous snakes. Arums. — This is a large family comprising Alocasia, Colocasia, Caladium, Calla, Anthurium, Diffenbachia, about which confu- sion often arises, Colocasia has enormous leaves on tall stems, the type of which we may make Colocasm Esculenta, an Indian plant so much used in Bangalore foliage and called an Arum, there are several kinds, Colocasia, Atroviolacea, C. Alboviolacea and C. Macrorhriza variegata. Following the Alocasia in degree comes the Calla or Bichardia, the Nile Lily, with its beautiful large rich green leaves and large pure white spathe so well known here. Alocasia is next in size to Calla and has also a distinct stem from 44 which the leaves proceed, they are large metallic looking leathery leaved plants, Alocasia Metallica, A. Sedeni — A. Veifcchi, these do not winter, that is do not lose their leaves, next in order are the Anthuriums — Epiphytes or parasites with beautifully spotted and glabrous leaves. The stem more boldly and distinctly produced, with a palm like habit when full grown — Anthurium Scherzeri- anum however is a small gem of a plant sending up several vivid scarlet spathes which last for months. Next the Diffenbachias which are still more palm like in habit and have very beautiful marked variegated leaves and white waxy stalks to their leaves. Lastly the Caladium which has radical leaves that is, they arise direct from the root, without any main stem, and after six months of growth die down and winter. Towards the end of the year, when Caladium leaves assume a yellow tint and flag, water should be gradually withheld from the plants, this will greatly hasten the ripening of the roots, when the leaves have perished, the Rhizomes (root stocks) may be taken out of the large pots, repotted in small ones and stored in a go- down or shed to winter or rest, receiving a supply of water occa- sionally to prevent the roots shrivelling. About the middle of April, when the mango showers fall, the plants will awaken from their winter sleep, the Rhizomes plump fresh and beginning to emit roots. When the shoots like spikes appear on the surface, it is time to shift the plants into large pots dividing them into small pieces with 2 or 3 crowns or spikes to each, or retaining the whole according to the requirements of the cultivator. In potting, place the Rhizome low enough to be covered with half an inch soil, press the soil very little over them, good drainage and a rich com- post of loam, old manure and sand are indispensable. Few plants delight more in an abundant supply of water at the roots and such should be unsparingly given, when the pots have become filled with roots weak liquid manure may be occasion- ally applied. Caladiums require shade from bright sun shine. An abundant supply of moisture must also be maintained in the surrounding atmosphere in dry weather, by wetting the 45 stage or floor or by evaporating troughs. If the Caladiums are to preserve their brightness, the leaves must not be watered overhead, however careful the selection of water, a sort of incrustation will eventually form over the leaf, if thus watered habitually, of late a great number of Hybrid Caladiums have been introduced, of these some choice ones are described below : Prince Albert Edward, leaf stems of a rich dark ebony line, streaked and barred with grey white ; leaf blades dark emerald green, with a rich crimson mid rib, radiating from the centre towards the margins, the intervening spaces being densely spotted with ivory white. Madame Houlett, large leaves with clustered blush white blotches on the opposite leaf margins. Edward Moreaux, mottled green ground with rich lake, red centre. E. G. Hendeson, rich green leaves, finely marked with transparent rose spots, and brilliantly mottled crimson rays and centre. President, light crimson centre dark green, margin slightly mottled with grey, fine, very distinct. Reine Victoria, style of Belleymei with elegant green veins and margins, densely spotted or marbled between with white and scattered rich crimson. Dae de Morny, deep green leaf borders, with large and beautiful crimson rayed centre. Chelsoni, bright glossy green, suffused with brilliant red and blotched with crimson. Siebold, rich green, with fiery red crimson rayed centre, green spaces densely spotted with claret red. Triomphe De L'Exposition, crimson centre with red ribs and green border. Baron de Rothschild, rich blood red centre and spots on mottled green leaf ground. Napoleon III, flamed crimson centre with forked rays and carmine red spots on a rich green ground. 46 Madame Paillet, a beautiful variety, very dark green ground attractively marked with a profusion of large spots, and blotches of pure white. Auguste Riviere, white centre and rays upon a light green ground interspersed with crimson spots. Belleymei, pure white with green mid ribs. Argyrites, beautiful miniature white and green variegated leaves. Baraquinii, one of the old kind but fine deep green leaves with rich crimson markings. New Golden leaved Caladiums. Golden Queen, leaves large, pale green or yellow, uniform in colour ; a remarkably chaste appearance. Princess Royal, leaves large of a pale green or yellow, with crim- « son centre in the style of C. Brongniartii. Asters. — Among Annuals the Aster is one of the best for pot cul- ture in the rainy season. It is unrivalled for variety, duration of bloom and hardy habit. — The flowers are very beautiful and with care will last nearly a month, while a succession of plants may be kept flowering from the middle of August till March. There are great many varieties of Aster, German and French improvements on the old China Aster. Seedsmen's Catalogues describe them, The best varieties are Victoria, Peony, Perfection Cocardeau, Emperor and Bouquet. Asclepias Ourassavica, Asclepiadacece. — This genus of tall grow- ing plants thrives well in any good light soil requiring room to spread and show their blossoms, they are readily grown from seed which are produced in abundance. Balm of Gilead, — Vide Dracocephalum. Balsams are very gay but their flowers are short lived and they require a good deal of water. To grow the large double Bal- sams they should be sown late in May in a spot where they are intended to flower — one seed drop into a richly manured little pit. Watering twice a day is necessary. As the side shoots appear they should be nipped off, and the plant will grow up strong and straight — a mass of flowers up the stem like a giant stock, the best kinds of Balsams are the Camellia flowered of many varieties including the new Solferino Victoria and Caryophilloides. 47 Bartonia Aurea, Loasacece. — A beautiful species, flowers of a yellow and white colour, opening at night effusing a sweet odour ; they should be planted close together, so that the ground may be covered with its leaves. Begonia, Elephant Ears. — This is a large class ornamental foliage plants for pot culture in partial shade, with ferns and Caladiums, Begonia rex and Begonia doedala are the two most ornamental foliaged kinds. Begonia fuschioides, B. Almoefolia, B. discolor and many others, have pretty flowers which bloom principally in the cold season easily multiplied by division of the roots and by cuttings of the leaves like Gloxinia under glass. Bellis Composite, B. Perennis. — This well known flower is easily cultivated by seed after the rains, it thrives best in a rich loamy soil, and should be grown in pots. Bignonia,Bignoniacece. — A class of handsome creepers of which B. Venus ta, B. Radicans are propagated by layers. Br achy come Composite. — These species of plants can only be cultivated during the cold season, the colours are dark, purple, pink and white, the seed must be sown in a light soil, requiring a moderate quantity of water. Briza Graminacece. — Quaking grass, some of the species are in- teresting and easily grown from seed. Brodicea -LiUacece. — These bulbs with lilac blue and white flowers may be grown like other lilies in a rich loam and are increased by off-sets of the roots. Browallia Scrophulariacece. — These are handsome plants blue and white flowers, and are easily cultivated from seed in any good soil, both are calculated for borders. The white is an upright, and the blue a spreading plant; both having a pretty and delicate appearance. Brugmansia, Solanacecv, B. Arlorea. — These are ornamental plants of easy culture and propagated by cuttings, they continue to flower several times in succession during the rains and cold season, the number and size of the flowers at one time has a very striking appearance, a large space must be allowed to each plant. 48 Bougainvillea. — A very handsome hardy creeper, the plant flowers in the cold season when its lovely mauve coloured bracts cover the creeper, which assumes a sheet of colour, propagated by layers. Cacalia Compositce, C< Coccinea, — These plants will grow in any soil and are mostly found in waste places, the species are numerous and found in all parts of the globe. Caladium, — See Arum. Calampellis, Bignoniacece, C. Scabra. — This plant is of much beauty, well adapted for training on trellis work, the orange coloured flowers being very showy ; any light loamy soil suits it. Calandrina Portulacacece. — The species of this genus are very pretty, and only require light rich soil. They are easily culti- vated by seed. Calathea Zebrina. — A magnificent maranta with large bright green velvet leaves with dark stripes, likes a moist shady shelter- ed spot associated with ferns, in the cold weather should be kept in-doors protected from cold cutting wind propagated by off-sets. Calceolaria, Scrophulariacece. — These are both shrubby and herbaceous plants, they thrive best in a light rich loamy soil and may be cultivated both by seed and cuttings. The Hybrids raised from this genus are very numerous and showy, the colours are chiefly purple, orange yellow, and spotted. Calliopsis. — There are many kinds of Calliopsis, all very hardy and showy, but as they take a long time growing before they flower it is best fco grow them in nursery ground and lift them when nearly full grown with a trowel into the places intended for them in the mixed border. The tall kinds are Calliopsis Tinctoria and Nigra speciosa with their varieties. The dwarf kinds are C. Drummondi and C. Filicifolia also called Cosmidium Burridgi, these two last make very fine masses or clumps. Sow the tall Calliopsis in July to flower in the cold weather, C. Drum- mondi in October. It is quicker growing and does best in the cold weather having then larger flowers than in the rains. 49 Callirhbe, Perennial. — Two kinds C. Digitata, C. Involucraha trailing, good mixed border plants with crimson cup shape flowers, blooming well in February and March, sown late in the rains, quite hardy. Camellia. — The Camellia has a very annoying tendency to drop its flower buds. This must be attributed to some mismanagement, just as fruit trees lose their fruit and vines their grapes when any thing renders them incapable of perfecting them. Any cause in- ducing ill-health will produce this effect. Nature is trying to get rid of work the plant is unable to perform. The most common cause, in the case of the Camellia, is bad watering, probably the plant has never been properly watered for months, a little water has been frequently applied which may have reached half way down the pot and even renderd the upper part sour and overmoist, while the lower part of the ball of earth is as dry as dust. Native gardeners rarely observe the simple rule " never water a plant till it really requires it, and then thoroughly soak it.19 Camellias will not grow in a strong heavy soil. Leaf- mould and sand should be added to lighten it. Best suited for them are turf sods, cut as if for a grass plot from a sandy loam, chopped up or pulled to pieces ; if sand is deficient in the turf it should be added. The buds of Camellia will also drop off when exposed while they are forming to dry hot wind and much sunshine. Naturally it is a plant growing in a cold climate never falling quite to freezing point. In Bangalore it will do best under shade, in hot weather sheltered from dry winds, but getting any amount of moisture from rain in the monsoon, and put out in the open, or a half shady spot in the cold season, attention as before men- tioned being paid to the watering. Campanula, Campanulacece. — This genus of plants including the Canterbury Bell and Venus' looking glass is well known for its ornamental beauty and profusion of flowers, all the species grow freely in any soil and are propagated by seed and dividing the roots. Candy Tuft, vide Iberis, Canna Cannece, C. Indica. — The Canna or Indian shot was introduced into English parks and gardens 7 50 some years ago as a bold sub-tropical foliage plant, the flowers bearing but a small proportion to the mass of leaves. Under re- cent careful cultivation Cannas have made wonderful advances and become really attractive as floral objects, some of the newer varieties have branching flower stems — the flowers themselves broad petalled and bright coloured, twice the ordinary size and habit. The seed to germinate must be sown in great heat with moisture, the plants are easily and quickly multiplied by division of the roots; the finest kinds for size and colour of flowers are Bihorelli, Premicede Nice, Glauca Magnifica, Peruviana ; for deep chocolate crimson and striped foliage, Atro Nigricaus, War- cywicksi, Zebrina, Muscefolio, Sanguinea and tricolor. Canterbury Bell, vide Campanula Cape Jessamine, vide Garde- nitty Castilleja, Scrophulariacece. — An ornamental genus of plants growing freely in a good light soil, and may be raised either by seed or by dividing the roots. Cantanauche, Compositce. — This is a pretty order of small plants, colours yellow, white and blue, succeed well in common soil and may be increased by seed or by dividing the roots. Celsia, Scrophulariacece. — This is a genus of ornamental plants growing from two to six feet high, colours yellow and orange, the Coromandeliana a native of India, raised from seed in any garden soil.. Centaurea Compositce, C. Atropurpurea. — The sweet sultan. The various species of this beautiful and elegant genus are easily grown from seed in any light loamy soil, they are of various heights from twelve inches to five feet, the seed may be sown in pots or small beds at the close of the rains, then transplanted and they will blossom during the cold weather. The flowers are fragrant and of different shades of colour, purple, blue, yellow, white, red, brown, &c. Centranthus Ruber, Valerianacece, Hind, Jallukree* — This is an ornamental annual, generally grown from European seed, the colours of the different species are red, blue and white, and thrives in any good garden soil. The valerian grows wild in some of the upper parts of Bengal, 51 Cereus, Cactacece. — Night blowing Cereus, Cereus Grandiflorns, white and yellow. From Cereus signifying pliant like wax refer- ring to the shoots of some of the species being pliant. Many of tho species produce the most beautiful flowers, the stems are angled and jointed, the blossoms open in the evening or during the night, and die away towards the morning, they are all creepers. Cereus Triangular is. — A creeping plant with triangular stems, sends out roots at the joints which adhere to walls or any sup- port near. The flowers are large of a yellowish white colour with yellow Anthers. It should, if grown in the garden, have a strong trellis work to support it. Cereus Truncatus. — This species produces flowers during the cold season, which are of a rose colour ; it is indigenous to the Brazils, the whole of the genus seem to thrive in any tolerable soil, without much watering, young plants may be obtained by separating the branches at the joints, but then they require to be watered daily until the roots have struck. Chamomile. — Vide Anthemis. Cheiranthus Cheiri, Cruciferce, Wall Flower, named from Cheir, the hand, Anthos, a /lower. — This flower derives its name from the circumstance of its growing wild on old walls and ruins in Eng- land. It is of a light yellow colour, but, when cultivated in gar- dens, assumes a much richer and darker tint, mixed with brown. The double variety of a yellow colour, and striped with deep orange, is seldom known to blossom here. The name Gitly Flower is given to the stock and a species of pink carnation, these being the only flowers formerly cultivated by dames in their baronial Castles. Is propagated by seed, during and after the rains : space of a foot and a half must be allowed each plant if in beds as it grows nearly two feet high. Chelone, Scrophulariacece. — From Chelone a tortoise, to the back of which the helmet of the flowers is fancifully compared, the flowers are scarlet orange, white and purple, the species thrive in any good garden soil and may be increased by dividing the roots. Chorozema, Leguminosce, C. Spectalillis. — This plant was first found in the west coast of New Holland by Labillardiere, some 52 of the species are scarlet coloured, others yellow and red, they grow best in a rich loamy soil, and may be raised from cuttings as well as seed which they produce in abundance. CTiironia, Gentianacece. — This genus of plants are all indigenous to the Cape of Good Hope, the flowers are rose coloured, white, yellow and purple, the plant grows to the height of two feet and should be continued by cuttings, they require a light loamy soil. Chcenostoma, Polyanthum, ScropJiulariacece. — These are pretty dwarf plants, of a white and light yellow colour, well adapted for borders, and thrive in any garden soil. Christmas flower, Chrysanthemums, Composites. — Have been long well known favourites of the mixed border. But the lately in- troduced Japanese kinds are particularly desirable, under proper culture they will flower all the year round and are most hardy. The secret in growing the Chrysanthemums is every time to select new shoots, to plant them singly and throw away the old plants, give them rich soil and plenty of water. To grow bushy plants pinch off the head of the main stems as they begin to run up high. They are also easily raised from seed and in four or five months will be in flower. The best kind to sow are the large flowering and Hybrid Japanese kinds — many of which have very curious flowers like tassels and a great variety of colours. Cineraria, Composites, C. Azurea. — This genus of plants known by the name of Cape Aster, produce abundance of showy flowers of orange coloured, yellow, purple and red varieties, theygrowfrom two to three feet high, the leaves being covered with a soft white down, grown from seed, and thrive in any good garden soil. Cistus, Cistacece, Rock-Rose. — This genus of plants are mostly used for ornamenting rock work, though some grow to the height of four feet, they do well in most garden soils, and may be cul- tivated either from seed or by cuttings. Cladanthus Compositce, Cladanthus Arabicus. — These are small dwarf plants, bearing yellow flowers, and grow in any soil. Clarkia, Onagracece. — These are handsome annuals which make a showy display in flower borders, their colours are rose, white and purple, they ripen seed in abundance which may be sown in any good soil. 53 Clematis. — Some of the new kinds of Japanese Clematis have been introduced into Bangalore and are doing well, they will be great acquisitions to gardens bearing a profusion of large, single and double purple flowers, which in England present a sheet of bloom. Cleome, Capparidacece, C. Pentaphylla. — The species of this genus are very pretty and grow well in a light rich soil, the colours of the flowers are white, red, purple and yellow, cultivat- ed easily from seed. Clerodendrum, Thompsonice. — A handsome climbing plant from Central Africa with fine white flowers and bright scarlefe coralla, quite hardy. Clianthus, Leguminosce, C. Puniceus. — From Kleios glory, and Anthos a flower, an elegant plant, attains the height of 8 or 10 feet, and adapted for a shrubbery, growing well in any mode- rate rich soil, native of New Zealand. Clintonia, Loleliacece, C. Elegans. — These are pretty border plants, colours white and blue, they flower and give seed abun- dantly, and thrive in any good soil. Clitoria, Ternatea, Leguminosce. — There are several varieties. The most common are the blue and white. They blossom all the year round, and being shrubby, twining plants, are well suited for covering trellis work. They are of easy growth, and the blue flowers are used sometimes for colouring boiled rice. Are propagated by seed, and in any soil. Clove Pink, vide Dianthus Caryophyllus, Cobce Polemoniacece, Coboe Scandens. — This is a fast growing creeper, the flowers of which are purple, and the stems attach themselves to any rough surface, like some of the Cereus species, and well adapted for screening walls. Cockscombs, Celosia, Cristata. — Dwarf German Cockscombs have a gay appearance, but are rather stiff and formal as flowers. The seed should be sown in rich soil early in the rains, and the young plants once moved without a check to the place intended for their flowering, require rich soil, and plenty of water, and full exposure to sunshine. The comb forms very early in the 54 plant's growth, plants having more than one such comb when young should be thrown away. Coleus, Biennial. — Popularly called the nettle leaved Gera- nium, and formerly named Plectranthus fruticosus, has been of late so extensively hybridised and improved, that it became the fashionable foliage novelty of 1868. The leaves are strikingly cut or serrated — presenting a fringed appearance, the colours in different varieties embrace golden yellow, magenta, crimson, purple, claret, black and green, while the leaf markings and blotches are varied almost indefinitely, making them immensely attractive, they are easily raised from seed in the rains or by cuttings in sand under glass. Collinsia Scrophulariacece, Collinsia Grandiflora. — Theseplants are mostly all of a bright colour, and well adapted for borders to a flower garden, the colours are mostly yellow ; but the Scabri- uscula is red and yellow, these plants require a tolerable good soil with plenty of water. Columbine. — Vide Aquilegia. Commelyna, Commelynacece. — Some of the plants of these genus are very handsome, the colour of the flowers mostly blue, and propagated by dividing the tubers. Convolvulus, Ipomoea. — Ipomoeas are all hardy, and easily raised from seed if annuals, from layers if perennial. Convolvulus Major, of this class Dicksoni, Crimson and Burridgi, deep blue, black and Annei, striped are the best. Ipomcea Hederacea and Huberi Japanese convolvoli, with white edges to many hued flowers and marbled leaves, are very hand- some trailers, do well, sown rather far, apart and pegged down like Verbenas in the rainy season only. They are hardly clim- bers, flowering near the ground. Ipomoea rubro-coerulea, the large true blue Mexican convolvolus is a striking object in flower, in September and October. Sown in June and July, it becomes a great creeper ; sown in October it is dwarfed to a small trailer, and grows well in a bed, with yellow and orange Nasturtiums. Corrwa, Eutacece. — The species of this genus are mostly shrubs, the flowers, white and scarlet, each plant requires a tolerable space 55 to grow in, as it attains the height of six or more feet, and should be placed in a shrubbery where the soil is good. Cotula Compositce, Cotula Aurea. — This is a common plant with little golden ball like flowers, and is cultivated in any garden soil by seed. Crocus Iridacece, Crocus Vernus. — This plant never flowers in the western part of India, the roots when planted, only produce leaves, wither and die. Crotalaria Leguminosce, Crotalaria Elegans. — This is a numer- ous genus, many of the species beautiful, the seeds are contained in inflated pods, which rattle when shaken, grow readily in any tolerably good soil and abound in this country. Crotons or Codiceum. — Among first class f oliaged plants, the cro- tons now hold a prominent position since the introduction of many brilliant hued varieties from the South Sea Islands. The old Indian Croton is common in gardens with its variegated laurel like leaves or curiously twisted yellow striped ones, these are not to be compared with Croton Vitchi, C. Maximum, C. Irregu- lare, C. Hillianum, C. Elegans, C. Undulatum, now become fashionable, though by no means common. Some of these have bright golden yellow leaves with rich variegation, other rich crimson tints on the underpart of the leaf, and are indispensable to every good collection of foliage plants, do well at Bangalore. Cuphea, Lythracece. — This genus of plants is rather pretty ; the flowers being purple, scarlet and red, are grown from seed and by cuttings in tolerable light soil. Cyclamen Primulacece, Cyclamen Persicum. — This is a bul- bous species, thriving in a light vegetable mould, and may be cultivated by seed or its tubers. Cynoglossum, Boraginacece. — These are pretty little annuals, natives of Europe, the colour of the flowers mostly blue, purple, white and purple, grow in any common soil. Cyprus Vine. — Vide Ipomcea quamoclit. Cytisus Leguminosce, Cytisus Argenteus. — These species are mostly hardy trees or shrubs found all over Europe, the trees 56 mostly bearing flowers of a yellow colour, with a few exceptions of white and purple, they are readily increased by seed, layers or buds. Dahlia, Composites. — The habit of the Dahlia of late years has been considerably improved, and instead of having plants 8 or 10 feet high as used to be, the majority are not over 4 feet high, some even 1 to 2 feet only . The graceful habit of some, when laden with blooms from the base to the summit is most pleasing. The Dwarf kinds are termed Lillyput Bouquet or Pompon. It is a plant of the simplest culture. The tubers should be potted at the end of May, and when the plants have attained about a foot in height, be shifted to the garden beds or into very large pots. The soil should be moderately good, but made as retentive of moisture as possible, anything short of clay will suit them at the time of planting, neat straight sticks about 3 feet long should be inserted in the ground, and to these the young plants be tied. Water freely in dry weather. Side shoots or laterals should be carefully tied to stout sticks about 2 feet high, no lateral should be removed, as they produce the best flowers, and tend considerably to decrease the apparent height of the main plant. In November, the Dahlia winters, when the stems have entirely died, the roots should be carefully taken up so as not to divide the tubers from the crown or stem in which the life of the plant lies, be thoroughly dried and packed in dry earth till the next growing season. The method by which favourite sorts may be increased is as follows : — The old tubers are to be placed in a large flower pot of good leaf -mould, and old manure, leaving the crowns only exposed. The shoots which quickly rise from the tubers are cut or clipped off, when about two or three inches in length and put into fresh pots, or in a bed, where they must be carefully watered, and shaded, until they have struck and taken root, when they will grow vigor- ously. Tubers that have no eyes near the crown should be re- jected. If grown from seed, the plant should be removed when about four or six inches high, and if placed in the ground, a space of two feet at least between each plant allowed ; and as the plant arrives at maturity, it must be supported by strong sticks. When the stalk has become dry, the tubers may be removed and kept in a room either upon sand or pounded charcoal, 57 Dahlia Imperialis. — A new Dahlia 12 to 14 feet high, with large spreading panicles 4 feet across, bearing scores of white bell-shaped flowers, each little less in size than those of a common white lily and equally pure in colour, the large pyramidal inflorescence is like that of a yucca, but more spreading. The bell-shaped flowers are different in shape from the flat disc like single Dahlia, still it is a Dahlia to all intents and purposes, and comes from Mexico, is raised from seed or division of the tubers like a common Dahlia. Daisy. — Vide Bellis. Datura, Huberi. — Ornamental Annuals with large double and semi-double flowers, some very sweet scented. Sow the seed in the early rains in rich soil, and plant out the seedlings when they have grown four to six leaves, separately in mixed borders, as they grow large and bushy, the colours are tints of yellow, purple and white. Daubentonia Leguminosce, Daubentonia Punicea. — Handsome plants brought from South America closely allied to the Piscidia, grow well in a sandy loam. Delphinium, Ranunculacece, D. Ajacis. — The Lark spur is grown very commonly by the Natives after the rains, colour a deep blue on a spiral stem ; the flower takes its name from the resemblance to the Dolphin. There are many species all of which are easily grown from seed, the Natives are in the habit of sowing the seed under peach and orange trees, when grown in beds and the flowers of one colour, they have a showy and pretty appearance, a space of six inches should be allowed between each plant. Dianthus Sileuacece, Dianthus Sarbatus. — From Dios divine, and Anthos a flower. D. Barbatus the Sweet William, easily cul- tivated by seed and slips, blossoms almost throughout the year, and requires only a good garden soil. Dianthus Caryophyllus. — The Clove Pink or carnation, grows wild in various parts of England. This has long been a favourite flower, and is now almost acclimated. It seldom ripen its seeds, and two varieties are only to be met with in Deccan. The dark crimson is not so full a flower as the variegated crimson and white ; they both possess equal perfume and fragrance, but the latter when 8 58 carefully grown, is certainly the most beautiful. A full grown carnation should neither have its petals too crowded nor too thin, but regularly disposed, so that all its beauties may be observed at once. The stem or foot stalk seldom exceeds eighteen inches, and this should be carefully supported. Is propagated by layers and pipings ; also by seed when procurable. The plants must always be sheltered from heavy rains, and also from the hot winds ; yet kept in an airy situation. If placed under cover for any length of time, they run up to thin stalks, seldom throwing out blossoms. The time for taking cuttings is when the plant is in blossom ; and this may be done either at the commencement of the rains, or in the cold weather. When the plants appear to be about to blossom, all the buds save a couple should be carefully removed, as well as any small shoots on the foot stalk between the leaves. When lay- ers, are required, they must be- removed from the stem with a knife or scissors, and should not be longer than two or three joints. Cut off all the lower superfluous leaves smooth, then throw the layers into water, for a couple of hours. Plant them in baskets at about six inches apart, which have been filled with old rich vegetable loam ; water so as to settle the earth round the stems, and place in a shady spot, not under trees, if in the rainy season. In about six weeks they will have struck, and may be removed into pots. Do this carefully not disturbing the earth round the young roots, which are very tender, and replace in the shade again until suffi- ciently strong to bear exposure to the sun. The variegated have only two colours, and when stripped are called Flakes, but if spot- ted, Picotees. Ants (black, red and white,) are very destructive to the roots. An old plant of Flakes or Picotees, will occasionally loose both stripes and spots during the hot season, and become quite white when in flower, but resume during the rains their origi- nal colours of deep, red and white. The colour thus changing may be justly attributed to the dry hot weather, as it has been remarked in England, that sometimes fine double running flowers have returned to their whole or original colour during very dry or warm summers. Diantlius Chinensis. — Common in all gardens of various colours, and some mixed, they flower all the year round, and give seed immediately as it fades, and which will spring up again if sown. 59 The double- flowered varieties are much esteemed ; the colours are white, red, crimson, red and white. Didiscus Umbelliferce, Didiscus Cceruleus. — These plants are from Australia, and are grown from seed in a light loamy soil, and the plants either reared in pots or in flower beds. Dilhvynia Leguminosce, Dillwynia Glycinifolia. — Elegant shrubs when in flower, generally of a scarlet and orange colour, from -New South Wales and New Holland. They should be grown in pots in a light loamy soil, and regularly watered. Diplacus Scrophularicece, Diplacus Puniceus. — The Monkey flower, a pretty genus of plants, with flowers yellow or scarlet, they are grown in a rich sandy loam, and may be propagated by cuttings, they are natives of California. Dodecatheon Primulaceoe, Dodecatheon Meadia. — Ornamental plants when in flower, colours lilac, purple and white, grown in a light soil, and cultivated by dividing the roots. Dolichos Leguminosce, Dolichos Lignosus. — These are twining plants, natives of India, and grow in any good soil. Dracocephalum Labiatce, Dracocephalum AUamise. — Many of these species are well known, amongst which is the D. Canariense, the balm of Gilead, with pretty blue flowers, the scent only lies in the leaves, and the plant seldom exceeds eighteen inches in height, the other species have large splendid blue flowers, and easily reared from seed, the plants are best grown in pots. Dracaena, Perennial. — A very handsome ornamental foliaged class of perennial plants, of which D. Terminalis is Indian, with deep green long pointed leaves, which at one season of the year assume a rich crimson or deep pink hue, they are propagated by divison of the Rhizomes or roots, and like a moist shady place associated with ferns and arads. Echium Boraginacece, Echium Grandiflorum, Erinus Scrophu- lariacea?,, Erinus Alpinus. — This is a little plant with purple flowers, and adapted for rock work in Europe, requiring little soil. Erodium Geraniacece, Erodium Gruinum. — So named from Gera- nos, a crane. They are mostly all from the Cape of Good Hope. Most of the flowers are devoid of odour, and those which are particularly 60 so, are the most beautiful, whereas those again whose petals are the least showy, diffuse towards the evening and during the night, a most powerful perfume ; this is particularly the case with such as have white petals spotted with red. The almost innumerable varieties now produced in England have originated by hybridiza- tion, and to enumerate them all here is unnecessary. "The flowers of all the kinds are borne in umbels on a peduncle, which in the stem- less kinds arises from the centre of the source of the leaves, and in the shrubby kinds from the axil of almost all of the upper leaves. The number of the flowers borne in an umbel is various in differ- ent kinds, and greatest in those of the horse-leafed group." The commonest sorts cultivated in gardens are the deep scarlet, light, pink, and ivy leafed. The latter has a strong perfume, and scents the fingers if only slightly touched. The ordinary mode of pro- pagation is by cuttings and seeds. Almost all the varieties pro- duce seed, which will immediately grow if sown, and should be transplanted as soon as two or three perfect leaves are formed. The cuttings grow most readily, and should be taken off at the joints when the wood is assuming a brown appearance, and beginning to ripen. The fibrous rooted herbaceous sorts may be multiplied by dividing the roots. As all the species are rapid growers, they re- quire pruning, and to be occasionally changed into fresh pots. They require a light rich soil of loam, and old well rotted stable manure, or elsfe leaf, mould and sand ; the cuttings when put down must be removed for a time to a shady spot, and the earth kept continually moist. I must particularly caution against cutting the plants during the rains, as the whole plant suffers by the ends of the shoots decaying ; neither should they be exposed during the hot winds, especially the soft velvet-leafed varieties. Eryngium Umbelliferce, Eryngium Giganteum. — This is an extensive genus of plants, some of which are ornamental and well adapted for the flower border, the colours are blue, light blue, white, light white, and green, they thrive best in a sandy soil. Erysimum Cruciferce, Erysimum Perowskianum. — This is the only one of a numerous genus at all ornamental, it thrives in any soil, the flowers are dark orange colour. Eschscholtzia, Papaveracece. — This is a very beautiful little flower, of a deep yellow orange colour, very delicate. It blossoms 61 only in the cold weather, and requires care in transplanting, not more than one plant in a pot, which should be deep, the root being long and tapering; grown from seed. Eucharidium, Onagracece. — This is a small plant bearing a purple flower, and will thrive in a good garden soil. Eucharis, Amazonica. — With large sweet scented waxy white flowers, like a daphue, and fine large shiny deep green foliage, amply repays attention bestowed upon it, requires the same treat- ment in most respects as the Caladium, but its period of rest is shorter, does not lose its leaves, and while wintering, requires to be more often watered than the Caladium ; increased by off-sets. Euphorbia Euphorbiacece, Euphorbia Variegata. — This is a variable and very extensive genus of plants, all of which abound in a milky juice, E. Variegata will be raised from seed in any common garden soil. Evening Primrose. — Vide Godetia and (Enothera. Everlasting Flower, vide Gnaphalium, Entoca Hydrophyllacece, Entoca Multiflora. — This genus of plants is pretty, and may be sown in flower borders, but not too close together, their colours are blue, pink and violet. Fennel Flower, — Vide Nigella. Ferns — May be raised from seed or by division of the roots. They are indispensable to every collection and garden, and are easily grown if attention is paid to perfect drainage with plenty of moisture and shade, they are rather impatient of the shade when kept under high leaved trees, preferring a place rather where the shade is cast over them with air overhead. Some very good fern houses are now erected in the Lall Baugh at Bangalore. Raising Ferns from seed. — Procure some bricks or stones, bricks would be best as they have an even surface, and are also porous, rendering them capable of holding water. These would be best, if found covered with Moss which has naturally grown on them. If not thus covered it can be very easily done. The Moss must not be thick ; it can be clipped with a pair of scissors, if thick, and well washed before using, to get rid of any seed that may have fallen into it. These bricks should be placed into the pot or 62 pan, so that their upper surface may be level with the soil used to steady them and to fill up the pot. Sow the spores in the Moss, and with a pepper dredge, dust over the Moss very lightly with burnt soil, and then with a very fine rosed water can wash down the soil and spores into the Moss. Place the pot into a saucer of water which must be kept full. Place a bell glass over, those which have a hole in near the top, we prefer as they pre- vent damping, affording an escape to the great evaporation which takes place ; they can be left alone for a week without disturbance. There will be no necessity for surface watering until the seedlings appear ; even then it is not advisable, if soak- ing the pot up to the rim can be quickly done. The pots should not see the sun until the seedlings are well up, even then, shade is necessary. The soil used should be previously burnt, otherwise numberless seedlings will appear, which will choke those wanted and be a cause of mischief in the operation of weeding. Flax. — Vide Linum. Forget Me Not. — Vide Myosotis. Fox Glove. — Vide Digitalis. Francoa Francoacece, Francoa Appendiculata . — These are beau- tiful plants when in flower, and may be planted out in the open garden, then can only be cultivated by seed. Fritillaria Liliacece, Fritillaria Imperialis. — These are bul- bous rooted plants, with very showy flowers, growing well in any light garden soil, the colours are various. They are in- creased by off -sets. Fuschias. — Fuschias do fairly at Bangalore, grown artificially under partial shade, and the plants renewed yearly. Cuttings strike readily under glass in December and January. The young plants being carefully moved through the hot weather and repotted in June, will flower well through the rains, they thrive best in the open air where they get the shade of the house thrown over them after midday, and plenty of watering in dry weather. They will increase also from layers, but take a long time to root. Double Fuschias are now quite common in Bangalore, and a number of good single varieties, leaf mould, old rotten cowdung and sand is a good compost for them with perfect drainage. A great Fuschia grower in England advocates burnt earth exclusively for Fuschias. 63 Gaillardia Composite, Gaillardia Picta. — These plants arc chiefly from North America, grow in any garden soil, and may be increased by dividing the roots, common everywhere, the scent of some of the species are unpleasant. Galega Leguminosoe, Galega Orientalis. — These are tolerably ornamental plants, and as they form a bush of small size, they require room when planted out, the colours are mostly blue and white. Gardenia Rubiacece, Gape Jasmine. — This is a handsome genus of plants, with flowers highly scented, readily grown by cuttings, they thrive in any garden soil, and only require a moderate share of water to flower abundantly, their colours are pink, white and pale yellow, most of which are natives of India. Garland Flower. — Vide Hedychium. Gazania, -Splendens. — This plant so much used in beds in the London Parks, is perfectly hardy and easily propagated by cuttings. In the rainy season it runs more to leaf than flower, spreading over the ground, but in the hot weather from February to June it makes a great show for carpet gardening ; the flowers then crop up in great numbers, while in the early morning the leaves become half erect, and show their pretty' frosted under half, giving the bed a fine silvery tint. Gentiana, Gentianacece. — This is an extensive genus of plants, some of which are very pretty, colours, green, blue, purple and white, and are found wild on the mountains of India, they should be grown in a light loamy soil, mixed with vegetable mould, the whole of the species possess a bitter tonic principle. Geranium. — The term scarlet geranium applied to the whole class of zonale or horseshoe geraniums, is very confusing and obsolete. The whole family have a zone on the leaf, though some- times but faintly developed, and are of many tints beside scarlet, every shade of pink up to white and crimson, modern growers divide them into : Large flowering zonale Geraniums. Nosegay . — Geraniums. Tricolor. 64 Bicolor. Gold and Bronze. Silver and Bronze. Scarlet Tom Thumb. The tricolor and bicolor kind will not thrive well at Bangalore, numbers of the best kinds have been imported from England in wardian cases, and many pounds sterling spent in seed of the hybridized kinds, but they alljose their bright colours and de- generate to the green zonale, the only one that really keeps its colour is a gold and bronze seedling raised by General Haines there three years ago, which at times preserves its true tints, and has been extensively propagated. Mrs. Pollock, Italia Unita Bullian, &c., have been failures. Avoiding then going further into the culture of the tricolor and bicolor class, it will be safe only to cultivate the large flowering and Nosegay and Scarlet T. Thumb kinds, these do very well at Bangalore, and may be raised from seed almost all the year round, and by cuttings from July to February. Plants raised from seed, are the most compact and shapely, the old plants lose their leaves and run much to wood, the cuttings the same, though in a less degree, but a collection of 8 months old seedlings are excellent specimens, the seed should get a soaking shower to start them, and after that be kept out of heavy rain while very young, and partially protected during midday sun till they have 6 to 8 leaves which then protect them effectively, geraniums, however, as a rule, like shade cast over them during part of the day instead of exposure to the sun from morning till night. In the cold weather bandicoots often attack geraniums, and in the rains the large grub, or lava of the cockchaper destroy plants left in the ground, so much so, that very few survive through the monsoon, if in the beds, people may see a fine healthy plant of geranium suddenly droop, on examining under the roots, one of these grubs or more, will be found gnawing away the soft wood. To avoid thus the geranium should be kept in pots from March till November, when the grub pest is over. A nosegay geranium is a zonale, the petals being long and narrow and the three front 65 ones wide apart from the two at the back, while in the scarlet zonales the flowers are round and the petals all close to each other. There are many very brilliant large flowering nosegay kinds, and they are somewhat hardier in habit than the other. The double geraniums are very hardy, and of a coarser habit than the single, and are getting common here, but as yet only of two tints of scarlet. Gesnera — is a class now sub- divided into Tydea, Gesnera, Na- goolia, Encodonea, Plectopoma, all much alike, with beautiful vel- vet leaves and bright flowers, treat them as recommended for Gloxi- nias, so never dry them off, only gradually withhold water as they decline for a month or so, still keep them occasionally watered, so that the roots never quite dry up or shrivel. They are difficult to get from Europe on account of their liability to dry up, and people importing them must expect many casualties. The best time to get them is in January, overland and pot them , directly they arrive. Geum Rosacece, Geum Coccineum. — This is an ornamental genus of plants, the G. Coccineum being extremely handsome, but as these plants are mostly the produce of North America and Russia, are not likely to be easily raised in this country, they re- quire a light loamy soil, and are increased by dividing the roots or by seed. Gilia Polemoniacece, Gilia Achillicefolia. — These are beautiful annuals and of easy cultivation, may be grown either in the flower garden or in pots, during and after the rains, easily propagated by seed in any liglit soil. Gladiolus. — This beautiful tribe of plants should be largely planted, because they are perfectly hardy and easily grown ; are gorgeously beautiful, their handsome spikes of flowers when cut and placed in water will expand and last a long time, in pots they are very effective — inexpensive kinds can be supplied by hundreds, for planting among shrubberies and around bushes. The luxu- riant combination of colour in some varieties is extremely charming. There are two distinct classes of Gladiolus, Gandavensis and Ra- mosus. Gandavensis flowering in August, September and October — Ramosus in July and August. The best and safest time for planting is from the end of May. A succession till July. The 9 66 soil should be a rich sandy compost, the pots large, twelve to six- teen inches in diameter — the drainage good. Large bulbs should be planted from three or four inches deep, smaller bulbs two inches. In dry weather, copious watering is necessary. At first expose the pots to full sunshine till noon only. When the leaves turn yellow in November, let the bulbs thoroughly dry, then store them in dry earth or sand till next growing season at the end of May. Of the Gandavensis section of Gladiolus, G. Bowienses and Brenchleyiensis, are the most showy, Glaucium Papaveracece, Glaucium Psrsicum. — These are very handsome plants, and showy, either in borders or patches, they require a moderate good soil, the plants not too near each other, and the seed sown at the end of the rains. They are natives of the south of Europe and Persia. The colours red, orange, yellow and purple. Globe Amaranth. — Vide Gompjirena. Gloriosa, Superba, Liliacece, Hind. Butchnag, from Gloriosus, Magnificent. — This beautiful lily is a creeper, and blossoms at the commencement of the rains ; it is found in the beds of ravines and edges of rivers. The flowers are of a white, yellow and orange colour, the petals long and fringed. It lasts about eight days, undergoing various changes during that time. The root is a strong poison. Gloxinia. — Well suited for pot gardening, grouped together in a mass, no flowers are more showy or brilliant, of all the interme~ diate colours from white to purple and carmine, &c,, may be raised from seed or imported roots or by division of leaves. There are two kinds, one with erect flowers and the other drooping, they thrive during the rainy season. To raise them from seed, fill the pots or pans half full of crocks, (broken tiles) over which place a layer of moss, and then fill up the pot with fine sand and leaf -mould, press the soil down firmly in the pot, and water it freely, when settled, sow the seed on the surface, and do not cover it at all with mould, it requires no such covering. Place a bell-glass or pane of glass over the pot, and keep it in a shady place watering the sur- face gently daily, in a fortnight or ten days the seed will germinate when the plants have formed three or four leaves, prick them off G7 into small pots, and if properly supplied with heat and moisture, the plants will form good roots by the cold season, they must then be allowed to winter, care being taken that rats do not get at the roots which they particularly like. Propagation by leaf is simple, almost every part of the leaf will form plants, providing a portion of the midrib is retained in the cutting. Divide the leaves transversely, place them in pots of sand covered with a bell-glass and plunge in heat, in a short time col- losities will form at the base of the cuttings as soon as they have sufficiently started into growth, re-pot them in sand andleaf- mould. Gloxinias do well in small pots. At the end of the rains when the plants begin to show signs of going to rest, gradually diminish the quantity of water, but not so as to let them become quite dormant, some people dry them off altogether; this is not so good a plan, for in drying off the plants and storing them so, many shrivel and die. In May, shake the earth from the roots, trim the leaves, plant them afresh in good soil, consisting of leaf -mould, sandy loam and well-rotted cowdung, water sparingly till the plants appear to start into free growth, then water more freely. Glycine Leguminosce, Glycine Sinensis — Takes its name from Glykys, sweet, the roots and leaves of most of the species being so, the colour of the flowers which hang in racemes from the axila of the leaves are violet, yellow or purple, grown in any good soil. Gnaplialium Compositce, Gnaplialium Eximium. — These flowers possess the quality of retaining their colour long after being gathered. The stalk is covered with a whitish down, they are very hardy, both the annual and biennial, the colours are yellow, purple, crimson, yellow and white, in North America, Africa and Egypt, and grow from two to three feet in height. Godetia Onagracece, Evening Primrose, Godetia (Enothera. — This is a very pretty single-petalled white flower, blossoming only in the evening and towards morning, turns to a pink when it closes and withers. A fresh succession of flowers continues many weeks, even during the hot season. Is propagated by seed, either in pots or beds. The seed may be sown in the rains, soil should be rich. 68 GomphrenaAmarantliacece. — Globe Amaranth annual; common in most gardens. The Native women wear the flowers in their hair. It resembles red clover, native name Jafferee Goondee. Goodia Leguminosce, Goodia Latifolia. — This genns of plants are all natives of New Holland, colour of the flowers yellow, they never attain any great height, they may be raised from seed or cuttings in a loamy soil. Gypsophila Silenacece, Gypsophila Elegans. — This is a genus of small creeping plants, flowers of various col'ours, and will grow in any common soil. Hebenstreita, Selaginacece. — This is a genus of under-shrubs, the flowers white, grown in common garden ground. Hedychium Scitaminece, Garland Flower, Hedychium Corona- rium, Zingeberacece — Has large fine white waxy flowers, which appear in abundance towards the end of the rains, and are delici- ously scented ; easily propagated by division of the roots. Selenium Compositce, Helenium Mexicanum. — Most of the species are well adapted for borders, they are tallish growing plants, and all the yellow coloured flowers grow in any common soil. Natives of North America chiefly. Helianthemum Cistacecs. — Sun Rose, small shrubs generally used for planting on rock work, soil common garden. Helichrysum Compositce, Helichrysum Macranthum. — Many of this genus are much admired for their very lasting and brilliant colours, they grow well in a rich soil, and are easily cultivated by cuttings taken off at the joint, some species seed freely, and are found very abundant at the Cape of Good Hope. Heliophila Cruciferce. — A genus of pretty annuals, natives of the Cape of Good Hope, colours, purple, blue, violet and white, raised by seed in pots, and may afterwards be placed out in borders. Heliotrope. — In addition to the common Heliotrope, Bangalore gardens now have the dark purple, very sweet scented kind, which is easily multiplied by layers. HeliotropiumBoraginacece. — A shrubby plant, with lilac coloured flowers. 69 Hibiscus, Afalvaceci'. — These are all showy flowering plants, and thrive well in any garden soil ; they are easily propagated by cutting or layers. Hovca, Leguminoscv. — This is an elegant genus of plants when in flower, natives of New Holland and Swan River, very orn.-i- mental, and thrive in a mixture of sand, loam and peat. Hoya, Carnosa, Asclepiadacece, Wax Plants. — This plant is well adapted for covering trellis work ; it grows in gardens or pots, the flowers are of a whitish pink colour resembling wax. Humea Compositce, Humea Elegans. — This plant is a native of New South Wales, grows to the height of five or six feet, colour of the flower red, and well adapted for borders, it requires a good soil . Hydrangea. — The common Hydrangea will flower fairly at Ban- galore, the plants being renewed yearly. Hydrangea, variegat- ed leaved, will also do for one season, and is very ornamental, the best way is to get yearly young plants from Ootacamund to last the season and be then discarded. Hypericum, Hypericacece, St. John's Wort. — These shrubs and herbaceous plants, all bear yellow flowers, with one exception, the Cochin- Chinese, they are inhabitants of all parts of the world, and grown by seed in any good garden soil. Iberis, Cruciferce. — Candy Tuft, grows wild in England ; named Iberis from Iberia or Spain, easily grown from seed, the colours pink and white, and blossoms towards the close of the rains. Indian Shot. — Vide Canna Indica. Indigofera Leguminosce, Indigofera Tinctoria, Indigo. — Some of these plants are very beautiful, natives of India, and worthy of a place in any garden ; the colours being purple, red or pink. Ipomcea Convolvulacece, Ipomcea Coccinea. — Vide Convolvulus. Ipomcea Bonanox, Muricata, (Hairy), Rubro Cerulea (blue and pink), Tyrianthina, (bright violet), Violacea (violet blue) Splendens (pale red), Tuberosa (yellow species). Ipomcea Quamoclit Cyprus Vine, Crimson Quamoclit, flowers in the cold weather, of a most beautiful bright crimson colour, tube long, slender ; in gardens, pretty common. 70 Ipomopsis, Convolvulacece.— This genus of twining plants requires the same treatment as the Ipomea, and is applied to the same uses. Iresine or Achyzanthes. — We have now four kinds of Iresine, I. Herbsti and I. Aureoreticulata, the older varieties I. Lindeni and I. Acuminata, the newer kinds, these are all beautiful foliage plants, most easily increased from cuttings, requiring to be grown in a shady spot with abundance of water and richest soil, they even like two-thirds of the soil to be manure, the proper treatment of them insures their retaining their rich colours in foliage, whereas exposed to the sun and stinted of water they run up lanky, go to seed, and lose their leaves, which become a dull colour, they look their best in the morning and evening, when the sun's rays shine through the leaves, should be grouped with ferns, and the large light green Colocasia. Near a fountain they grow remarkably well, and they are one of the few plants that will do well under cover, in dark parts of a verandah, fernery, or nooks under trees, still like all other plants they prefer some share of light, just the morning and evening sun, or to be in the open when the shade of the house or a tree is cast over them most of the day. Iris Iridacece, Iris Xiphoides. — Iris, named from Iris, the eye, alluding to the beauty of the colours of the flower. There are the fibrous rooted and tuberous rooted kinds ; species numerous, hybrids, the tuberous rooted are said to be the most difficult to cultivate, though most of the species thrive well in India, they require merely a good rich soil. Isotoma Lobeliacece, Isotoma Axillaris. — This is a beautiful elegant plant, the flowers of which, look like a large Lilac Jes- samine, and are cultivaled like the Lobelia. Ixia Chinensis and Capensis Iridacece. — These beautiful flowers vary in colour and form, they are mostly from the Cape of Good Hope, and require the same cultivation as plants of the Lily tribe, and are propagated by dividing the bulbs. Ixora'Banducha Ginchonacece. — Jungle Geranium, Hind, Bucko- lee. A spreading shrub, smaller than I. Coccinea, but equally common in flower almost during the whole year, of a pale crimson colour ; there is also a white variety, blossoms during the rains. 71 Jasminum Grandiftorum, Hind, Chumbalee, or Latee lai. — This species is very much prized by the Natives ; the large white flowers having a most powerful scent, and being in blossom throughout the year, are used as garlands on all festive occasions. Is propagated and grown as the former. Jasminum Jasminacece, Jasminum Odoratissimum. — The yellow Jasmine, an elegant shrub, with small shining leaves, flowers bear- ing a sweet scent, a nativfe of Madura introduced into India. Jasminum Officinale. — Common white, with a much more powerful scent ; used generally for covering trellis work by Europeans. The Natives grow it in bushes, and use the flowers at most of their festivals. Is propagated by layers ; the plant does not require any particular care, further than watering. 'Jerusalem Sage. — Vide Phlomis. Jungle Geranium. — Vide Ixora. Kaulfussia Compositce, Kaulfussia Amelloides. — This is a small annual plant, with bright blue flowers, the florets of which curl back after they have been expanded a short time, it requires a light soil, and the seed may be sown at the end of the rains. Kennedy a Leguminosce. — A genus of beautiful plants, with lilac and crimson coloured flowers, with short keels, whilst the K. Cocci- nea have long ones, they are propagated by seed in any good soil. Lantana Verbenacece, Lantana Sellowi. — These are large shrubs producing pink, yellow, orange coloured heads of flowers, they blossom at all seasons, and are found in most gardens, the leaves have the scent of black currants, the berries are eaten, may easily be propagated by seed or suckers. Lark Spur. — Vide Delphinium. Lasthenia Compositce.— These plants are natives of California, flowers yellow, and adapted for borders. Lathyrus Leguminosce, Lathyrus Odoratus, Sweet Pea.— The English Sweet Pea seed, rarely flowers in the Deccan and Southern India, but acclimatised seed from Nagpore and north- wards will do fairly, sown in September or October. 72 Lavatera Malvaceae, Lavatera Salvitellensis. — These annuals are common, but showy flowers in the garden, colours, pink, light blue, and they will thrive in any soil, and are increased by seed and cuttings of the ripened shoots. Lead Wort. — Vide Plumbago. Ledum Cistus, Ericacece. — Cultivated the same as Lavender. Leonotis Leonurus, Labiatce, Scarlet Dandelion. — A beautiful small scarlet flower, Native of the Cape, and now common in all gardens ; blossoms throughout the year, and is very difficult to get rid of when once sown, any soil seems to suit it. Leptosiphon, Polemoniacece. — These are pretty annuals, allied to the Gilia, and propagated in the same manner, the colours are white, blue and purple. Leucadendron, Proteacece. — These are a handsome genus of shrubs, growing to a large size, with heads of yellow flowers and silky leaves, and may be cultivated in any good garden soil. Leucospermum, Proteacece. — An interesting genus of plants, with entire downy or hairy leaves, and terminal heads of yellow flowers. They require the same culture as the Pro tea. Limnanthes, Limnanthacece. — These flowers are from California, and are of a yellow colour, with a border of white, and are slightly fragrant, they are readily grown from seed as other annuals. Linaria, Scrophulariacece, Toad Flqx. — These are common plants, and may be easily raised from seed; colours, mostly purple, blue and yellow. Linum Austriacum. — Some of these flowers are pretty, and may be placed in a border, the flax is too well known to need any de- scription here. y Linum Linacece. — Flax. Lisianthus Gentianacece, LisianthusRussellianus. — This is a hand- some plant, with purple flowers, the other species are white and yellow, the seed should be sown in a light vegetable mould, in pots, and transplanted when about three inches high, the flowers are large and handsome, and continue perfect for many days. 73 Loasa, Loasacece. — This is an interesting genus of plants, some of the species possessing the properties of Nettles, the flowers are red, white and yellow, they are grown from seed, and any common soil suits them. Lobelia. — No plant in the flower garden is more useful than the Lobelia, especially when we have such a deficiency of good blue flowers. There are three kinds adapted to Southern Indian cul- ture. The Lobelia Erinus, L. Ramosa, and L. Cardinalis. The two first are only propagated here by seed, L. Erinus, flowers in the cold season, and well into the hot weather, it then gives out a good mass of rich blue flowers, is sown in July and August, and the seedlings transplanted twice, as they crowd the pots, before a final move to the beds. It forms a capital inner edging to Gold Feather. Should be grown in very rich soil, and while young, be partially shaded from midday sun. L. Ramosa is a taller kind, pro- pagated from seed, and treated like the L, Erinus, but makes a beautiful mass of blue in pots, is much earlier than the other kind, its flowers are also much bigger. Lobelia Cardinalis is a perennial, raised from seed, and also by division of the roots, it will flower profusely twice a year so treated, kept in a very shady place in large pots, with a great deal of manure in the soil and plenty of water. Its flowers are the brightest scarlet, the flower spike being sometimes three feet in height crowded with fine blossoms. It has been very much improved in size and habit of flower of late. Bull's hybrid. L. Cardinalis, Queen Victoria, with very dark leaves, has been introduced here. Young plants put out in June or May, will flower in August, these when the bloom is over, may be cut down, the roots divided and re-potted, and will flower in February and March. In this way a succession of plants of L. Cardinalis may be had in flower all the year round. Lobelia Eadicans. — An annual creeping glabrous plant, a native of China. Flowers of a pink colour. In gardens it spreads over the soil rooting at every branch, and is well adapted for borders to parterres. Lophospermum Scrophulariacece, Lophospermum Scandens. — Beautiful climbing plants, with large purple or rose coloured bell- 10 74 shaped flowers, this plant is of fast growth, and well adapted for covering trellis work, easily grown from seed at the commence- ment of the rains, and lasts throughout the year, the soil should be rich and light. Lotus Leguminosce, Lotus Jacobceus. — These plants are tolerably ornamental, closely allied to the Cytisus Argenteus, and grow in a similar manner. Love Lies Bleeding. — Vide Amaranthus. Lupinus Leguminosce, Lupinus Bicolor. — These flowers blossom during the latter end of the cold season, and should never be sown until the rains are over. Some of the species are very delicate, but the small blue, white lupin, rose lupin and Egyptian, flower freely, some of the species are very common in Egypt, and grown for food ; the seed being ground into flour. Is propagated by seed, and should be sown in pots ; and if in beds, about one foot apart. Lychnis Silenacece, Lychnis Corsica. — There are three sorts, scarlet, white and fulgens. The first is an extremely showy flower, and ornamental either in a border or pot. It seldom exceeds eighteen inches in height, and after flowering if cut down, will shoot out and blossom again. The seed should be sown either in or after the rains, moderate care is all that is necessary. Lythrum, Lythracece. — This is a common plant, native of Great Britain, it thrives in any common soil, and easily cultivated from seed. Madia Compositce, Madia E leg ans. — This is a plant of no parti- cular beauty, the flowers of which are yellow, and may be grown easily from seed in any common soil. Magnolia, Magnoliacece. — This a very extensive geuus of ele- gant and showy plants, when in flower, both as trees and shrubs, they thrive well in any good garden soil, and flower during the rains. Malope, Malvacece. — These are very beautiful annual plants, and grown readily from seed at the commencement of the rains, the colour of flowers, purple and violet, the plant grows to the height 75 of seven or eight feet, and is better adapted for a shrubby than the flower garden. Malva Malvacecey Malva Miniata. — This is an extensive genus of plants of easy culture, and every variety of colour, easily pro- pagated by seed, cuttings, or dividing the suckers. Marigold. — Vide Tagetes. Marty nia, Pedaliacece. — These are handsome plants, common in India, the leaves are covered with a glutinous soft substance, the flowers are red, and pale purple, the capsule of the seeds is hard, with a hooked bill at the end. The plant thrives luxuri- antly in any light rich soil. Marvel of Peru* — Vide Mirabilis. Mask Flower. — Vide Alonsoa. Maurandya Perennial. — Is an elegant little creeper, with pretty leaves and flowers in three colours, white, pink and purple, should be sown easily in the rains, the young plants re-potted singly and put to trellises, prefers a half shady spot where it can get plenty of rain, does not do well immediately under trees, should be cut down in the early hot season, and will spring up again as fresh as ever. Mignonette. — Vide Roseda. Mimosa, Leguminosce. — Of this genus of plants, many are to be found all over the country, the leaves of some of the species are remarkable for being sensitive to the touch. The pink and yellow flowers of one of the small shrubby kinds are particularly beautiful in the rains, readily grown from seed in any soil. Mimulus, Scrophulariacece. — Monkey Flower. Mimulus, Cardinalis. — These plants are well suited for flower borders, the colours are chiefly blue, red and yellow, easily grown from seed in any garden soil, it takes its name from mimo an ape, the seed bearing some resemblance to the face of a monkey. Mirabilis Jalapa Nyctaginacece. — Native name, Gool Bajee or Abbas. This plant is very beautiful, though very common, and known as the Marvel of Peru. The flowers are of various colours, red, white and yellow, also variegated red and white, yellow and 76 white. The root when dried is prepared for medicinal use. It becomes in a short time quite a weed in the garden. Is propa- gated by seed and in any soil, Monkey Flower.— Vide Diplacus and Mimulus. Monstera Deliciosa. — A very remarkable looking parasite found in the Mysore jungles. It has great perforated leaves of a very singular nature, and though treated here generally as a creeping parasite, it is much used in Europe as a lawn plant easily pro- pagated by cuttings and layers. Morina Dipsacacece, Morina Elegans. — This is Native of Persia, the colours red and white, grown from seed as most other annuals. Mountain Sorrell. — Vide Oxyura. Myosotis, Boraginacece. — The Forget Me Not. Myosotis, Palustris. — This plant is common in England, and is grown easily here by seed in a light soil, which should be thinly sown in pots, or by division of the roots, or cuttings. Nasturtium.— This old fashioned plant has been very greatly improved of late, from a straggling coarse trailing kitchen garden plant, it has been got into a dwarf compact habit, pro- ducing masses of brilliant flowers of rich scarlet, crimson, orange, golden yellow, straw colour, blush rose, spotted yellow, &c. The best kinds for bedding are the Tom Thumb and compactum varieties, these are quite hardy, and only require sowing in mo- derately light soil as they become little bushes, and are liable to , be blown out of the ground by the high winds so prevalent here, a few twigs should be inserted about them to steady and protect them. They will do fairly in the rainy season, but best in the cold weather. A large kind of Nasturtium Lobbianium has some magnificent varieties with very large vivid scarlet flowers and dark leaves, but of a more spreading habit and require plenty of space, these may be raised from seed and then multiplied to any extent by cuttings struck in sand. Of the Lobbianum varieties, Crown Prince Etna, Vesuvius are the favourites, or the Dwarf, Tom Thumb varieties, the following are recommended, Scarlet King of Tom Thumbs, Golden King of Tom Thumbs, King Theodore, Improved Scarlet and Golden Compactum, Compactum luteum, 77 Trenthara rose, Bluish rose, Beauty. For masses of a good yellow, Golden King rivals, Calceoloria floribunda. Nehimbium Nymphceacece, Nelumbium Speciosum. — Large water Lily, grows wild in tanks, in all parts of India. Nemesia Scrophulariacece, Nemesia Floribunda. — These plants may be cultivated from seed in any rich light soil, the colour of the flowers is purple. Nemophila Hydrophyllacece, Nemophila Aurita. — These plants are all annuals, and require a great deal of moisture, growing and flowering in shady situations, the colours are white and purple, blue and dark purple, they are natives of California and North America. Nicotiana, Tobacco. — Some of the Tobacco tribe have enormous leaves, and are handsome plants for leaf gardening. Nicotiana, Wigandioides — and grandiflora, are best for this purpose. Nigella, Ranunculacece , N. Sativa. — Fennel Flower. Nigella Hispanica. — Some of the flowers are pretty, and only require to be sown in open ground at the commencement of the rains, the colours are chiefly pale, blue and yellow. Night Blowing Cereus. — Vide Cereus. Nolana Nolanacece, Nolana Grandiflora. — Trailing annual plants with white, yellow and blue flowers, easily raised from seed in any garden soil. Nonea Boraginacece, Nonea Eosea. — These are plants of no great beauty, and may be raised in common garden soil. Nuttallia Malvaceae, Nuttallia Grandiflora. — A genus of pretty plants, when in blossom resembling the poppy ; they should be grown in a light rich soil of vegetable mould, the colour of the flowers, is pink, purple, red and purple. Nymphcea, Esculenta. — This species has a tuberous root, which is eaten and held in esteem by the natives. Nymphcea Nymphceacece, Nymphcea Alba. — Found in tanks and grown as the rest of the species. 78 Nymphcea Rubra, Hind. Kummul, Red Flowering Lotus. — In tanks, flowers about the close of the rains, of a dark crimson colour. Nymphcca, Stellata. — This plant is common in ponds and tanks. The flowers are blue. GEnothera, Drummondii Nana. — Improved Evening Primrose, a trailing plant, with large sulphur coloured flowers, open from 4 o'clock in the afternoon, till noon the next day, is a great stand by in the hot season when few other flowers are left, often throws out 50 to 100 blossoms at that time of year, will not do well in the rainy season, but should be sown in November, one plant in good soil will cover a large space, three or four grouped together make a fine bed of yellow. Orchid- Growing. — In Bengal orchid houses are constructed after the plan of the Native pan or betel inclosures. Walls and flat roof of stout posts and bamboos form the basis for a light frame work, or trellis on which coarse grass is thinly fastened. Roof and sides equally. The grass being so disposed as to cut of all direct solar rays, without inducing any appreciable darkness. Orchids, though impatient of direct exposure to the sun, neverthe- less delight in abundance of light. In such a house, they should be staged in pots which have plenty of holes in their sides to admit the air, and escape of water. The potting material is lumpy charcoal and pieces of brick in about equal parts. As regards watering from November till February, no water as a rule should be given them. In March, the flowering season, a little only is given to the plants as the flower buds get fairly set, the ground however, may be watered freely night and morning. When the flowering season is over, an abundance of water at night and the whole house syringed, the floor saturated three times a day to keep a humid atmosphere. When the rains set in they get an abundance of water naturally. This appears a better plan of treating orchids in a dry climate like this, than sticking them with mud and cowdung on the branches of trees. 79 Ornamental foliage for bedding Ribands, &c., INDICATE VARIETIES. H. & Dur. Col. o Fl. I 3 W Price. feet. *. d. Balsam, Dark Rose .. Balsamina Atro-rdsea.. ta. rose 2 3 Scarlet Coccmea — sc. — . 3 White Candida — _ wh. — 3 Striped Striata — div. — 6 Camelia Camelliaefldra — — — 6 Dwarf Scarlet .. Coccinea Ndva .. — sc. 1 3 Mixed Dwarf Nana Nova — div. — 6 Broom, Ornamental .. Cytisus et Spartium .. hp. y. & w 5 6 Candytuft, White .. Iberis Amara, (bitter) . ha. wh. 1 3 Purple Unbellata — pur. — 3 New Crimson Phoenicea — cr. — 3 New Blush Carnea Nova blsh. — 3 New Rocket Coronaria wh. — 3 Fragrant Odorata — — — 3 Mixed __ div. ___ 3 Canterbury Bells Campanula Medium ... hp. bl. 2 3 White Alba wh. — 3 Double F16re-ple"no — w.&b. — 6 Capsicum, 10 var. ... Catchfly, Lobel's ... Capsicum Annuum, &c. Silene Armeria ta. ha. y. & r. red 1 6 3 White Alba wh. — 3 Chrysanthemum, m ... Chrysan., 2 var. — y. & w. 3 3 Tricolor Carinatum — 3 col. 1 3 New Golden Flavum — yel. — 3 Showy Specidsum — — — 3 Clary, Red-topped ... Salvia Horminum — red la 3 Purple-topped Purpurea • — pur. — 3 Cockscomb, Dwarf ... Celosia Christata, Nana . ta. — 1 6 Columbine, Double ... Aquilegia Vulgaris hp. div. 2 3 Convolvulus Minor ... Convolvulus Tricolor ... ha. b. v. tr. 3 New Dark Atropureus — pur. — 3 Large Flowered ... Grandifldrus — — — 6 New Variegated ... Variegatus Novus — var. — 6 White Bicolor — w. &y. — 3 Mixed _ div. _ 3 Nos. 867 to 872 1 6 Convolv. Major, m ... pomaea Purpurea hha. — cl. 3 Extra Fine, 20 v ... — — — 1 0 New Crimson Kermesinus __ cr. — 1 0 Rose-coloured Roseus — rose — 3 Spotted — — Punctatus — sp. — 3 Striped Striatus — St. — 3 Violet Violaceus — vi. — 3 Very dark Atroviolaceus — d. v. — 3 Nos. 875 to 881 m a div. .____ 3 0 Cowslip, Mixed Drimula Veris hp. i 3 Cyanus, Sky-blue Centaurea Cyanns ha. bl. 2 3 Brown Brunnea — br. — 3 Fine Mixed div. — 3 Egg Plant, Purple ... Solanum Ovigera ta. pur. — 3 White Fruited Leucocarpon ~~ wh. ~ 3 29 226 A — IS EMPLOYED TO INDICATE VARIETIES. H. & Dur. Col. of Fl. _P A .£P "S> W Price. feet. s. d. Flos Adonis Adonis jiJEstivalis ha. sc. 1 3 Flame-coloured Flammea fl. — 3 Fraxinella, Red Dictamnus Fraxinella... hp. red 3 3 White Albus wh. — 3 French Honeysuckle .. Hedysarum Coronarium hha. sc. 2 3 White Album — wh. — 3 Globe Amaranthus ... Gomphrona Globosa ... fgh. pur. — 3 White Alba — wh. — 3 Mixed div. 6 Gourd, Bottle Lagenaria Vulgaris ... fa. yel. tr. 6 Hercules' Club Clavata — — 6 Mammoth Cucurbita Pepo — — — 3 Orange Aurantia — — 3 Striped Pear Ovifera — — — 3 Mixed r_ 3 Hawk weed, Purple ... Crepis Rubra ha. pur. 1 3 Snowwhite Nivalis — wh. — 3 Yellow Tolpis Barbata — yel. — 3 Silvery Argentea — sil. — 3 Heartsease (Pansy) ... Viola Tricolor hp. div. — 6 Hollyhock, Antwerp... Althaea Ficifdlia buff. 7 3 Double Rose Kosea — rose — 3 Black Nigra — bla. — 3 Purple Purpurea ...» — pur. — 3 Red Rubra __ red — 3 Yellow Lutea — yel. — 3 White Alba wh. 3 30 Var. Mixed -t— div. 1 0 Chinese Althaea Chinensis — vio. 3 3 Purple Purpurea — pur. — 3 Mixed — p. & v. — 3 Nos. 909 to 919 div. 3-7 3 0 Horn Poppy, Mixed ... Glaucium, pi. var. ha. 2 3 Scarlet PhoBniceum — sc. — 3 Violet Rcemeria Hybrida — vio. — 3 Ice Plant Mesemb. Crystallinum. ta. wh. tr. 3 Jacobaea, dou. m Senecio elegans, fl. pi. . hha. div. H 6 Double Crimson ... Kermesina — or. — 3 — — Mulberry Rubro-Purpurea... — ml. — 3 Purple Purpurea — pur. — 3 Rose Rosea — rose — 6 Violet Violacea vio. — 3 White Alba — wh. — 3 Nos. 925 to 931 — div. — 2 0 Larkspur, Dwarf m ... Delphinium Ajacis ha. — 1 3 Dwarf, German ... Humile pi. var. — — — 6 Blue Cseleste — bl. — 3 Rose Rdseum rose 3 White Album wh. — 3 Unique Bfcolor — r. & w. — 3 Tallm. Elatior, pi. var. — div. H . 3 227 A — IS EMPLOYED TC > INDICATE VARIETIES. H. & Dur. Col. of Fl. £ £1 ' "U Q± 'n 4- red 3 White Album — wh. — 3 French Double Rhseas, fl. pleno — div. 1 3 Bordered ... Limbatum — red — 3 C*4-M**ij-k/3 Qfvi^fnrn str. 3 Nos. 1,001 to 1,012... div. ___ 3 0 Primrose, mixed Primula Vulgaris hp. i 3 Prince's Feather ... Amaranthus Hypocon ha. pur. 2i 3 Quaking Grass Briza Maxima — gr- I| 3 Grass, Slender ... Gracilis — gr- 1 3 Rocket, Purple Hesperis Matronalis .. hp. pur. — 3 Sweet Tristis — wh. — 3 Scabious, Dwarf Scabi<5sa Nana ha. div. — 3 Very Dark Atropurpurea hp. pur. 2 3 Splendid Ger. Superba div. — 6 Scotch Thistle Carduns, sp. — pur. 8 6 Sensitive Plant Mimosa Sensitive fgh. pink 2 6 Spanish Broom Spartium Junceum .. hp. yel. 3 3 Snapdragon, m. Antirrhinum Majus .. div. 2 3 Splendid m. 40 var. . . . ^^ str. 6 Carnation Caryophylloides.. — — 3 Vnllivrr Four-coloured Quadricolor ; ., 4 col. — 6 Orange — — Aurantiacum — or. — 6 Pale-yellow Ochroleucum — p-y- — 3 Painted Pictum — var. — 3 Scarlet Coccineum — sc. — 3 White Album — wh. — 3 Yellow Flavum — yel. — 3 Nos. 1,027 to 1,036... — div. — 3 0 Stock, 10 week, m. ... Mathiola Annua hha. — H 3 Scarlet • Coccinea — cr. 3 Intermediate Intermedia __ 3 Large Scarlet — — Major — — 2 3 229 A — IS EMPLOYED TO INDICATE VARIETIES. H. & Dur. Col. of Fl. 49 A .60 '3 W Price. feet. s. d. Stock, Purple Mathiola Purpurea hha. pur. H 3 White Alba — wh. 3 Grem, 20 v. Anuua, var. — div. i 6 Large Packet — — — 1 0 Dwarf Carmine Densifl<5ra, min. — ver. — 6 — — Dark Carmine. Atro-Miniata ... — d. v. 6 • Crimson Kermesina — cr. — 6 Dark Crimson . Atrorubens — d. c. 6 Dark Blue ... Atro-caerulea ... — d. b. 6 Lilac Lilacina — li. 6 Light Blue ... Lsete-Caerulea ... — 1. b. 6 Peach-bloss ... Persicifldra — p. bl. — 6 Rose-coloured . R6sea — rose — 6 Yellow Lutea — yel. — 6 Violet • Violticea — vio. — 6 White Alba — wh. • 6 Nos. 1,046 to 1,057. ___ div. 5 0 Prussian, m. Graeca (Cheirif61ia) .. 3 Purple Purpurea — pur. 3 Scarlet Coccinea ... — cr. 3 Rose Rdsea — rose — 3 White Alba wh. li 3 Autumnal Autumn ali s — div. 24 6 Brompt, m. Mathio, Simplicicaulis . hb. 3 Purple Purpurea — pur. 21 3 Brompt, s. Simplicicaulis hb. cr. 3 White Alba — wh. H 3 Queen, m. Mathiola Incana — div. 3 Purple Purpurea — pur. — 3 Scarlet Coccinea cr. __ 3 White Alba — wh. 3 Imperial Imperalis hp. d. bl. 6 Light Blue ... Laete-cserulea 1. bl. 6 Red • Rubra — red 6 Rose R6sea rose . 6 Nos. 1,073 to 1,076... div. _. 1 6 Sunflower, d. tall ... Helianthus Annuus ... ha. yel. 6 3 Dwarf Indicus 3 3 Sweet Alyssum Alyssum Maritimum ... hp. wh. 1 3 Sultan, p. Centaurea Moschata ... hha. pur. 2 3 White Alba wh. 3 Yellow Suaveolens yel. __ 3 Venus's Looking-glass. Campanula Speculum .. ha. bl. I 3 Rose Rosea — rose 3 White Alba — wh. _ 3 5 var. separate div. 1 0 Navelwort Cynoglossum Linifo- lium — wh. 1 3 Virg. Stock Malcomia Maritima ... li. i 3 White Alba _ wh. 3 Wallflower, Dark Cheiranthus Cheiri hp. br. 2 3 230 A — IS EMPLOYED TO INDICATE VARIETIES. H. & Dur. Col. of Fl. | B Price. | feet. s. d. Wallflower,Chameleon Cheiranthus Variabilis . hp. var. 2 3 Purple — '• — Purpurea pur. — 3 Yellow Flava — yel. — 3 Double German ... Flore, Pleno — div. — 6 Black Brown. . . . Nigrescens — d. br. — 6 Blue Caerulea — bl. — 6 Large 'flower ... — — Grandiflora — br. — 6 Pyramidal ... Pyramidalis — — — 6 20 var. mixed — die. — 6 Winter Cherry Physalis Alkakengi ... ha. wh. 8* 3 Xeranthemum, p. Xeronthemum An- nuum — pur. U 3 White Album wh. 3 Yellow Elichrysum Bracteatum hha. yel. 2 3 New White Album Novum ... — wh. — 3 Splendid Splendens — var. — 3 Zinnia, Golden yel. ... Zinnia Aurea — yel. — 6 Large-flowered Grandiflora — red — 3 Mixed — r.&y. ~~~ 3 CATALOGUE OF SEEDS. s.d. s.d. ASSORTMENTS OF FLOWER SEEDS. Strawberry, red and white al- pine 1 0 h, hardy ; hh, half hardy. — British Queen 1 0 — Various fine sorts, mixed 1 0 6 Fine var. Calliopsis, hha. 6 — Finest mix., for preserving... 6 7 ,, Clarkia, ha. 6 Water Melon, fine mixed 6 6 Everlasting Flowers, hha. ... 6 6 Fine Linaria, ha. 0 6 Nemophila, ha. 6 FLOWERING BULBS. 8 CBnothera & Godetia, ha. 6 6 Lobelia, hh. 2 0 Achimenes, 12 in 4 fine sorts ... 2 6 6 Marigold, hha. 1 6 Amaryllis Bella-Donna, each ... 1 0 8 Schizanthus, ha. 2 0 — Formosissima 6 4 Sweet William, hp. 1 6 — 3 Greenhouse sp., each 3s. Gd. 6 Wallflower, hp. 2 0 for 10 0 50 Finest hp. Annuals, 10s. ; 25. 5 0 — 2 Species, South America, 50 „ h. do. 20s.; 25. 10 0 each 3 0 50 Fine h. perennials, 10s. ; 25. 6 0 Ammocharis coranica 4 0 — Falcata, 4s.; glauca 4 0 The selection of the above must be Anemones, finest new dou.,per lb. 7 0 left entirely to J. C. — 100 finest new var., separate . 25 0 — 50 do. 12s. Gd.; 25 do. ... 7 0 — Fine mixed new single, per lb. 4 0 FRUIT SEEDS — Per Packet. Arum, fine new sp. Bolivia, each 5 0 Dahlia, extra, fine double, per Currants, red, white, and black.. 6 doz. 15 0 Gooseberry, finest mixed 6 Gladiolus oppositiflorus, new v., Melon, Beechwood, extra fine ... 1 0 doz. 2 0 — Carter's green flesh 1 0 — Psittacinus (natalensis) 1 6 — Early Cantalupe 6 — Superbus (gandivensis), each 2 0 — Evans' scarlet flesh 1 0 Lilium lancifdlium, rubrum, „ 10 6 — Green flesh, fine 6 — Album 5 0 — Hardiest early Cantalupe ... 6 Pancratium illyricum 1 6 — Netted Persian 6 Ranunculus, finest mixed, per — Pekin, new and extra fine ... 1 6 100 7 6 — Scarlet flesh 6 — 100 in 100 ext., fine var. — Snow's Prolific 1 0 named 20 0 — Sweet, of Ispahan 1 0 — 50 do. do. 10s. ; 25 do. do. ... 5 0 — Terry's green flesh, extra . . . 1 0 — Mixed Turban Kanunc., per — Windsor Prize, fine 1 0 100 5 0 — Fine mixed Melon 6 Tigridia Pavonia, Is. Gd. v. large, — 12 fine other var., separate ... 5 0 doz. 2 6 Mulberry, 3 fine species 1 0 — Conchiflora, yellow ... doz. 6 0 Quince 6 — Superba, scarlet ... ,, 18 0 Raspberry, red and mixed I 0 Tuberoses, double Italian ... „ 4 0 KITCHEN GARDEN SEEDS. WAERANTED GENUINE. oz. ounce ; Ib. pound j qt, quart. 8 "S pa. packet; bush, bushel. 1 Pi s.d. s. a. Artichoke, green ... per oz. 9 Broccoli, Chappel's cream Purple ... „ c ... per oz 1 0 Asparagus, giant, oz. 2d. per Ib. 2 6 Dwarf Siberian ... „ 1 O Beans, early Mazagan ... per qt. 6 Ellison's new April... ,, 2 6 Early dwarf Fan ... „ 6 Field's new white ... ,, 1 6 — Long-pod ... „ 6 Grange's early ... „ 1 6 — Lisbon's do. ... „ 6 Hampsh. gr. ... ,, 1 6 Johnson's Wonderful... , 6 Hampton Court ... ,, 1 0 Sword long-pod ... , 6 Howden's superb ... „ 1 6 Green long-pod ... , 6 Impregnated white... ,, 1 0 Large Windsor ... , 8 Invisible ... „ 1 0 — New thick do. ... , 8 Knight's protecting... ,, 1 0 — Taylor's do. ... , 8 Lake's white ... „ 1 0 — Green do. ... , 8 Large spring purple. ,, 1 0 Beet, fine large red ... per oz. 3 White 1 0 New German ... „ 6 Late close-headed p.. ,, 1 0 New black ... ,, 6 — Purple ... ,, 1 0 New dark crimson ... „ 6 — White ... „ 1 0 Green ... ,, 3 London, particular... ,, 2 6 Silver- stalked ... ,, 3 Miller's late ... ,, 1 0 White ... „ 3 New Victoria ... „ 1 6 Silesian sugar ... per Ib. 2 0 Portsmouth ... ,, 1 0 Borecole, or Kail, brown., per oz. 3 Potter's new pink ... „ 2 6 Green curled dwarf ... ,, 3 Snow's superb ... „ 1 0 Curled tall ... „ 3 Sulphur ... „ 1 0 New Asparagus ... ,, 6 Very late Danish ... „ 1 0 Buda ... „ 6 White Southampton.. „ 1 0 Variegated, &c., &c. ... ,, 6 Wilcox's large wh. ... „ 1 0 Broccoli, ear. pur. Cape.. ,, 1 6 8 best for succession. ,, 8 0 White Cape ... „ 1 6 4 do. do. ... „ 5 0 Green Cape ... ,, 1 6 Brussel's sprouts, fine... „ 6 Early Cauliflower ... ,, 1 0 Imported Belgian ... ,, 1 0 — Close -headed ... „ 1 0 Cabbage, Atkins' Match ,, 6 — Malta ... „ 1 0 Carter's Matchless ... „ 1 0 — October ... „ 1 6 Early dwarf ... ,, 6 — Purple ... „ 1 0 — Battersea ... „ 6 — Sprouting ... , 1 0 — London Market ... ,, 1 0 — Walcheren ... , 2 0 — Nonpareil ... ,, 6 — White 1 0 — - Sugar-loaf ... „ 6 Adams' new dwarf ... , 1 6 — Wonder ... „ 1 0 American ... , 1 6 — York ... „ 6 Brimstone ... , 1 0 — Enfield, new early, „ 1 0 233 oz, ounce ; Ib. pound ; qt. quart. 1 PH pa. packet j bush, bushel. 1 s.d. s.d. Cabbage, Large Battersea. per oz. 6 Cress, Water ... per pa. 6 — Imperial ... „ 6 Cucumber, fine frame ... „ 6 — Pomeranian ... „ 1 0 Fine long prickly ... „ 3 — York ... „ 6 Fine ridge ... „ 3 — Drumh., Ib. 3s. ... „ 3 Short prickly ... „ 3 — Scotch, Ib. 3s. ... „ 3 Turkey, wh. or gr. ... „ 3 Paignton ... „ 6 Carter's Champion ... „ 1 0 Shilling's Queen ... „ 6 Colney Hatch, ex. ... „ 1 0 Spotboro' new ... „ 1 0 Cuthill's blackspine ... „ 6 Vanack ... „ 6 ^ f Manchester Prize ... „ 6 6 finest for succession... „ 3 6 .2 Man of Kent ... „ 6 Red Dutch ... „ 6 jj> Roman Emperor ... „ 6 Dwarf red ... „ 6 a Sion House ... „ 6 Savoy, dwarf green ... „ 6 > Snow's white spine.. „ 6 — Drumhead ... „ 6 g Stewart's Ringleader „ 1 0 — Globe ... „ 6 '2 Superb white spine.. „ 1 0 — Yellow ... „ 6 ^ Victory of England.. „ 1 0 Couve Tronchuda ... „ 1 0 g Walker's superb ... „ 1 0 — New curled ... „ 1 0 .3 Weedon's frame ... „ 6 Chou de Milan, imp. ... „ 1 0 1** ^Young's Champion, &c. „ 1 0 Carrot, early Morn ... „ 3 Cucumbers, 6 finest varieties. 5 0 Early scarlet frame ... ,, 3 Endive green curled ... per oz. 6 Long Surrey ... „ 3 White curled ... „ 6 — Orange ... „ 3 Batavian, green ... „ 6 — New Brunswick ... „ 3 — white ... „ 9 Altringham ... „ 3 New German ... „ 9 White Belgium ... „ 3 French beans, Chinadw., per qt. 1 3 Cauliflower, early Engl.... „ 1 6 Dwarf dun ... „ 1 3 Late English ... „ 1 6 Dark dun ... ,, 1 3 — Asiatic ... „ 1 6 — Fulmer'a ... „ 1 3 — Cyprus ... „ 1 6 — Negro ... „ 1 3 Fitch's new late ... „ 2 6 — Negro Major ... „ 2 0 Popart's early Engl. ... „ 2 6 - Speckled ... „ 1 3 Late Dutch ... „ 1 6 — Turkey ... „ 2 0 Walcheren ... „ 1 6 Runners, scarlet ... „ 1 3 Cardoon, Spanish ... „ 6 — French Haricot ... „ 1 6 New large purple ... „ 1 0 Painted Lady ... „ 1 6 Celery, soild white ... „ 3 Turkey ... „ 2 0 Soild red ... „ 3 Ice plant, garnishing ... per pa. 3 Giant red ... „ 4 Indian Corn ... „ 3 Giant white ... „ 4 Leek, London, Flag ... per oz. 6 Jones' new Matchl. ... „ 6 New Giant ... „ 1 0 New curled Paw ... „ 4 Lettuce, Cos, Ady's .... „ 1 0 Seymour's white -... „ 4 Cos , Artichoke-leav. ... „ 1 0 Wheeler's pink ... , 6 - Bath ... „ 1 0 Large-rooted ... , 4 Bl. seeded do. ... , 1 0 Chervil, curled ... , 4 Broad leav. do. . . , 1 0 Corn Salad ... , 3 — Brighton ... , 1 0 Cress common . . . per qt. 1 0 — Brown ... , 1 0 Triple curled ... , 1 6 — Egyptian ... , 1 0 Golden 1 6 — Florence ... „ 1 0 Perennial Amer. ... per oz. 3 — Green ... „ 1 0 30 234 oz. ounce ; Ib. pound ; qt. quart. 6 o £ pa. packet j bush, bushel. 8 2 s.d. s.d. Lettnce, Cos, Kensington, per oz. I 0 Peas, Early R ace -horse... per qt. 9 — Nonpareil, w. ... ,, 1 6 — Warwick ... „ 9 — Nonpareil, gr. ... „ 1 6 — Charlton, 2nd early. „ 8 — Paris ... „ 1 0 — Bishop's dwarf ... „ 1 0 — Snow's matchl , 1 6 — Champion of Eng. ,, 5 0 — White ... „ 1 0 Later sorts ... „ winter ... „ 1 0 Carter's Lilliputian ... „ 2 6 Cabbage, wh. ... , 6 — New Colossus ... „ 1 6 — Asiatic ... , 1 0 — Victoria ... „ 3 0 — Brown Dutch ... , 6 Glory of England ... „ 1 0 — Drumhead ... , 1 0 Marrow, dwarf wh. ... ,, 9 — Hardy Hammers ... , 6 — Dwarf green ... „ 9 — Malta 1 0 — Tall white ... „ 9 — Marseilles ... , 1 0 — Tall green ... „ 9 — Mogul ... , 1 0 Woodford's green ... „ 1 6 — New Winter ... , 1 0 Victoria ... „ 1 0 — New pink-edged ... , 1 0 Knigh's Marrow, d. ... „ 2 0 — Tennis ball ... , 0 Matchless Marrow ... „ 1 0 Silesian, brown ... „ 0 Bedman's Imperial ... „ 1 0 — White ... „ 0 Groom's superb ... ,, 9 8 Finest sorts ... „ 0 Prussian blue ... ,, 8 Love Apple or Tomato... „ 0 Queen of the dwarfs... „ 2 6 Yellow ... „ 0 Scimitar ... „ 1 0 Mallow, garnishing ... per pa. 3 10 best for succession.. „ 15 0 Mustard, white per qt. 1 0 Potato early . . . per pa. 1 0 Onion, blood-red per oz. 6 Late ... „ 1 0 Deptford ... „ 6 Silver-skin Dutch ... „ 1 0 Globe ... „ 6 Purslain, gr. or gold ... per oz. 6 — New white ... „ 9 Radish, long frame ... per qt. 2 0 James' keeping ... „ 9 Wood's new frame ... ,, 2 6 Lisbon ... „ 6 Early scarlet ... „ 2 0 New Giant ... „ 9 Early short-topped ... „ 2 0 Pickling ... „ 9 Rong Salmon ... ,. 2 0 Portugal, white ... „ 6 White Naples ... „ 2 6 Beading ... „ 6 Red Turnip ... „ 2 6 Silver-skinned ... ,, 91 White Turnip ... „ 2 6 Spanish, white ... ,, 6| Mixed Turnip ... „ 2 6 — Brown ... „ 6 New Olive . . . per oz. 2 Strasburg ... „ 6 Spanish, Black ... „ 2 Tripoli, large ... „ 9 Rampion, pa. 3d. ... „ 1 0 Two-bladed early ... ,, 6 Rhubarb, Victoria ... „ 1 0 Welch ... „ 6 Tobolsk, &c., &c. ... „ 1 0 6 Finest sorts, 2 ounces ... ea. 7 0 Salsafy ... „ 6 Parsley, extra curled ... „ 3 Scandix bulbosa, root ... „ 6 Myatt's garnishing ... „ 4 Scorzonera ... „ 6 Large-rooted ... „ 4 Sea Kail ... per qt 2 0 Parsnip, best large ... ,, 3 Skirret ... per oz 8 Peas, early Kent ... per qt 8 Sorrel ... „ 6 Early Frame ... „ 8 Spinach, Round ... per qt. 1 0 -May ... „ 8 Prickly ... „ 1 0 — Prince Albert ... „ 1 0 Broad Flanders ... „ 1 0 — Shilling's Grotto ... „ 1 0 New Zealand ...per oz 6 235 oz. ounce; qt. quart. 8 2 pa. packet ; bush, bushel. £ I.*. s. d. * Carter's Victoria Pea warranted Hyssop, per oz. 6df.,perpa. 3 superior in size and flavour Lavender Is. „ 3 to any other. Marjoram, pot Is. „ 3 —Sweet Is. 3 Squash, fine mixed ..per pa. 6 Marigold, pot 6d. 3 Turnip, early Dutch ..per oz. 3 Rosemary Is. 3 Early, Mousetail •• 3 Rue Is. 3 — Snowball ., 3 Wormwood 6d. 3 — Nonsuch 4J 3 Sage 6cZ. 3 — Stone or stubble 3 Savory, Sum Is. 3 — Large white ., 3— Winter „ Is. 3 Yellow Altringham . 3Thyme „ Is. 3 —Maltese ., 3 Tobacco (fumigating) 3 —Stone (t 3 Swedish M 2 ROOTS, PLANTS, &c. Teltau, German , 6 Vegetable Marrow ..per pa. 6 The prices variable. SWEET HERBS, &c. Artichokes ...per bush. Asparagus, all sorts... „ 100.. Balm, per oz. Is., per pa. 3 Garlic ... „ Ib. ... Basil, sweet , 1*. „ 3 Horse Radish ... „ doz.. Basil, Bush , Is. „ 3 Mushroom, Spawn ... ,,bush... Borage , 6d. 3 Potato, early forcing Baglos , Qd. 3 Late varieties Burnet , 6d. 3 New „ Capsicum , Is. 3 Rhubarb Roots, all sorts, each,.. Chilis Is. 3 Shallots ... per Ib ... Clary , 6cZ. 3 Sea Kale ...per 100... Fennel , 6d. Florence Fennel, 6d. 3 3 Strawberry Plants ... „ Raspberry Plants ... ,, ORNAMENTAL FOLIAGE PLANTS. CONTRIBUTED BY MR. J. M. GLEESON, SUPERINTENDENT OF THE AGRI-HORTICULTURAL GARDENS. CROTONS. THIS interesting genus of plants, which are chiefly natives of New Guinea, the Moluccas, and South Sea Islands, has deserv- edly gained a place in popular favour of late years. When this useful little hand-book of gardening made its appearance in 1859, these plants were almost unknown, the old Croton Pictum and Variegatum being the only two kinds in general cultivation. Owing to their liability to variation, both under artificial fertiliz- ation, and by the agency of insects in their native country, an enormous number of strange-formed and brilliant-coloured foliaged plants have resulted. Artificial crossing still presents a wide field for the introduction of new varieties, which may probably transcend in beauty all those now or heretofore in cultivation. To increase our stock of any desirable kind which we may have from seedlings or from older varieties, propagation from cuttings is the most certain to produce nice plants in a short time. The cuttings should be three to five inches long, from the young growth, taking care that the base is tolerably firm, but not woody, as these latter take longer to form roots. The lower two or three leaves may be cut away, but the upper leaves should be left intact. They may be put down to strike in any ordinary garden soil, but pure white sand, not sea sand, is the most convenient medium in which to insert the cuttings, taking care to slightly water the sand before insertion and a good watering after to settle the cuttings firm. Large seed pans, with 238 some broken pots or bricks for drainage with a layer of old cocoanut fibre over the latter to prevent the layer of sand in which they are to be inserted from washing away through the drainage, are to be used. The plants should be shaded by means of palm leaves or mats or any other suitable materials at hand. The shading should only be used in bright sunshine, the cover- ing being taken off at night and whenever the sky is cloudy. Making beds under trees for cuttings should be avoided if possi- ble. With ordinary care cuttings may be made at any season, but the commencement of the rains is the most suitable time, as little or no care is then required for watering. They generally take root in fifteen or twenty days in favourable weather. When transplanting, the plant should be taken up singly, care being taken to leave untouched whatever sand adheres to the roots. Drainage should be liberal, and the pots should be no larger than suffices to conveniently contain the individual plant. Good virgin loam, with leaf mould and about one-sixth silver sand, should be used. If good leaf mould is not procur- able, good loam and sand will suffice. The mistake of putting a small plant in a large pot should be avoided. The use of large pots certainly saves future pottings, but in this case the plants never maintain so healthy a root action as when successively potted into larger pots as required. The central shoot should be stopped at about twelve inches. This causes the plant to throw out branches from the lower part, so that when full grown it is well foliaged down to the pot. Though in growing a few of the narrow-leaved varieties, for table decoration, the principal shoot may remain intact until the plants get too large for that pur- pose. They may then be cut back to about a foot and allowed to grow on for large specimens. Their quick growth, compara- tively easy propagation with their gorgeous colouration and adaptability to either pot-culture or permanent planting out in the garden, to contrast with dark masses of foliage, places them in the first rank of decorative plants. Though certainly making a more vigorous growth under the influence of shade, they lose much in the splendid variations of colour which are never so vivid as when fully exposed to the sun. In places further more 239 inland than Madras, &c., pot- cultivation is perhaps to be recom- mended, as the plants could thus be arranged outside in the cold season and a slight amount of shade might be found beneficial in the hot season. In the latter case they could be removed to a Plant-house of light materials, the semi-shade being obtained by having the roof formed only of light bamboo screens. The number of varieties of Crotons, advertised in the most recent catalogues, amounts to over two hundred ; but the follow- ing list of the principal kinds of Crotons arranged to shew their principal characteristics, may be found useful to amateurs. Those with only pale yellow and green colouration are marked with an* ; those suitable for table decoration with a f. A- Large leaves, broader at the upper portion. Gladstonii* — blotched green and cream colour, very large, bold striking foliage. Williamsii, — dark green, crimson veining, very rich in colour. Hendersonii* — rich green, lemon -coloured veins and margin, very bright. New Guinea, — as Hendersonii, tinted with crimson. Baptistii, — bright green, orange crimson marks. B- With large broad leaves of about equal width. Maximum,* — green with bold yellow veins : requires semi-shade. Macfeanus,* — blotched piebald-looking leaves, green and cream, very effective. Grande, — bright green, veins pink : requires semi-shade. Aureum,* — bright green, flushed here and there with yellow. Rotundifolium,* — similar to last, but smaller leaf. C- Medium-sized leaves. Pictum, — generally rich, olive green, sometimes beautifully blotched with pink. Metallicum, — very dark olive colour, very rich and sombre : useful contrast plant. Oblongifolium,* — bright green and gamboge yellow, marbled, Variegatum,* — rich green, veins all bright yellow. D. Medium size with undulated margins. TJndulatumfi — black green with rich crimson, marbling, margins undulated : a superb and rich variety. 240 E. With medium oval-shaped leaves. jRosea-Picta, — green, orange crimson veining, rich. Royal Prince, — green, and lemon veins tinged with pink, Andrieanus, — green, with orange pink veining, MacArthurii, No. 37, — somewhat similar, but more effective than Eosea-Picta. F. Leaves long and of moderate breadth. Veitchianus, — green, centre of the leaf yellow, with crimson midrib. Hooheri* — rich green, yellow veining : bold foliaged plant. Weismanii,* f — green and yellow : one of the best for specimen purposes. Superbiens, — yellow and crimson, with green blotches. Concinnus, — green, with orange crimson veins. Splendidus, — like Veitchianus, but smaller. Goldiana,* — lemon yellow, with irregular green blotches. G. Long lance-shaped leaves. Lancifolium, — green with crimson midrib. Wiltonii*^ — rich green, yellow midrib and mottled all over with yellow : very effective. Macfarlainii, — similar to Wilsonii, perhaps the best tinged rose. Queen Victoria, — similar to Sunset : markings carmine. Lord Bipon* — rich green, bright gamboge yellow, veins rich and bright, Sunset, — dark green, blotched irregularly with orange crimson, some leaves totally crimson, H. Leaves long and irregular in breadth, not twisted. Youngirf — bright green markings on a yellow ground, blotched with crimson. Lowiirf — similar to last. Truffantianusrf — green, broad crimson centre, curious variega- tion. Nobilisrf — (also called Jacksonii) rich green yellow centre, crim- son midrib. 241 I. Leaves long and slightly twisted. Tonghit* — (also called Irregulars) green, with pale yellow centre. Angustifolium giganteum* — yellow with green blotches. J. Leaves large, very long and twisted. Schomburgkiana, — dark green and crimson, curiously twisted, one of the best. Challenger, — green, spotted pink, margin and midrib crimson. Hex, — green, slightly twisted, central line orange crimson, Australian Longifolium, — dark green, twisted. Washing 'tonii, — as the last, but narrower leaf. K- Leaves narrow, twisted and interrupted. Interruptum, — yellow, crimson and green. Duke of Edinburgh*-^ — cream colour, blotched green, one of the best. Duchess of Edinburgh,,* — green, spotted pink. Mutabilis, — some very dark, others almost orange crimson. Majesticus, — broad crimson central space, with green margins. Picturatus, — green and pink, mottled and blotched. Torquatus,' — dark green and scarlet lake, one of the best. !*• Leaves thin and narrow, slightly twisted and undulated. Johannis,*^ — green and pale yellow, most effective. Longifolium,* — yellow and green, one of the most graceful in cultivation. Microphyllum, — a most desirable variety : one of the most effec- tive. M- Leaves twisted more or less. $jnraZe,-r-twisted, some leaves dark green, others yellow and crimson. Crispum, — twisted, green-margined, yellow and crimson centre. Camptophyllum*\ — twisted, pale yellow with green blotches. Amabilis,*^ — green and yellow, delicate narrow foliage : pretty. N. Leaves horned ; curious shaped. Cornutum, — green margin with yellow and crimson centre. Imperialis, — dark green with pink midrib and margins : both broad and narrow-shaped leaves. 31 242 0- Leaves long, breadth variable, form grotesque. Multicolour, — strange-formed leaf, broad top, tricolored, very brilliant. VariaUlis, — blotched irregularly with green, white, grey, yellow and crimson : a beautiful variety. MacArthurii*^ No. 11, — ragged-looking leaf, irregularly formed of yellow and green : one of the best. P. Extremely long leaf, not twisted, Mooreanus,* — a most effective variety, yellow with green blotches, sometimes with short lobes at base. Q. Trilobed varieties. A Iberti,* — yellow centre, green at lower part of leaves. Disraeli,*^ — narrow, yellow with green markings : sometimes five-lobed. Lord Cairns, — green, yellow and crimson. Htvansianafi — green with yellow feather-like mark in centre, tinted with crimson. MacArthurii, No. 85, — green, with yellow midrib and lobes. New Guinea, — green and yellow lobes, a peculiar narrow trilobe. Dormanianus, — a voluted trilobe, dark green, yellow and crimson- spotted. R. Voluted leaves. Volutumfi — curious form, very effective, green with yellow veins and crimson midrib. S- Various-shaped leaves, all spotted. Acubwfolium, — one of the best old varieties, the spots yellow with crimson centres. Maculata* f — green, spotted cream colour. „ Katoni* f — green, with cream spots, a trilobe. Cromatumfi— -green, irregularly and thickly spotted with orange crimson. CROTONS. CONTRIBUTED BY AN AMATEUR. No one who has attended the Annual Flower-Shows of the Agri-Horticultural Society for the past few years can have omitted noticing the immense piles of Crotons and other foliage plants exhibited year after year, the grand effect produced by the huge piles of Crotons alone testifying (if any proof were wanted) the increased interest taken by Amateurs in the culti- vation of ornamental foliage plants ; therefore, in issuing this new edition, a few hints on their cultivation have been added. Crotons deservedly occupy the leading position among orna- mental foliage plants not only because the Indian climate, especially that of Southern India, is peculiarly adapted for their successful propagation, growth, and development, but also because in this group of plants is to be found not only the grandest, but also the most fantastic and grotesque foliage, which, in the generality of cases, is extravagantly variegated, and thus rendered unexceptionably beautiful. There are, at the present time, in the trade, upwards of two hundred distinct varieties, from which the most fastidious taste may be easily satisfied, besides these, are the endless variety of nameless seedlings raised by Amateurs and Horticultural So- cieties, and to these additions are being continually made by new introductions from Australia, New Guinea, the South Sea Islands, and the New Hebrides besides Hybrids raised by Horticulturists. (Hybrids are plants raised by the mixture, or crossing of two different species, with the object of producing a new species ; or a new plant with the qualities of two plants combined in one). With such attractions as these, there is no doubt that for many years to come, Crotons will continue to be regarded as the most desirable foliage plants suitable for decora- tive, and exhibition purposes. 244 PROPAGATION. All the known varieties of the Croton family can be very easily propagated, namely, by cuttings ; for this purpose, some- time before the rains come down, matured branches must be selected from the most vigorous and healthy of the Croton trees of the collection at disposal (tender branches are next to useless, as they seldom take root, and when they do, a sickly miserable specimen is the result). The selection having been made, cut off the branches with a sharp knife ; if any of the branches are too long, divide them in two or three pieces, taking care that none of the pieces are less than three inches in length ; the pieces thus cut should, without loss of time, be planted in seed pans into which Compost No. 1* has been previously put ; the pan or pans must then be put in a place where they will have plenty of shade and light, and will not be shut out from rain and dew when they fall ; the cuttings, if regularly watered from a can, will, in a short time, take root. If the operations detailed above are carefully conducted in the cool of the evening, or on a rainy day, there will be very few casualties among the cuttings ; the coarser natures very seldom fail, but should some of the rare kinds fail, fresh cuttings of those particular kinds must be taken, and put into a separate pan, and grown under a glass cover. Should the quantity of cuttings required to be put down at one time be so large that they cannot be dealt with in pans, then the cuttings of the common varieties may be put into a bed in the ground conveniently situated, as to shade, and open to rain and dew. Within three weeks or a month, the cuttings will have rooted, and as soon as they have put forth three or four leaves, they are ready for transplantation into nursery pots, say seven inches deep, seven inches wide at the top, and six inches at the bottom, * COMPOST No. 1. — Stable manure, containing a large quantity of the refuse of grass on which horses have been fed, and which generally con- sists of roots, should be laid up to rot for some time until the roots are dead — then mixed with an equal quantity of red earth and laid by in a shady place for a month, the heap should be watered if the weather is dry. This will make an excellent soil suitable for the majority of Exotics and Indigenous shrubs cultivated in pots, especially Koses, or for renewing flower-beds. — Hints to Amateur Gardeners, by A. T, Jaffrey. 245 filled with new soil similar to that in which they were propagat- ed ; in these pots they may safely remain for a season, when they must be transferred into larger pots, say twelve inches deep, twelve inches wide at the top, and eight inches at the bottom, (inside measurement). PROPAGATION BY SEEDLINGS. Croton Seedlings. — For the benefit of those who care to raise seedlings, a few hints are included for their guidance. Most of the common varieties of the Croton flower and perfect their seed, the quantity of seed produced is very variable ; the female flowers are borne on a spike six to eight inches long, resembling the tendril of a climbing plant ; the flowers mature and are suc- ceeded by globular fruit ; these must be enclosed by a very light coarse muslin bag, so that, when they become ripe and burst, the seed contained in the berry may not be lost as they are scat- tered to a great distance : by the use of the muslin bag, not only are the fruit and seed secured, but light and air are admitted into the bag ; when all the fruit from the spike or tendril have dropped into the bag, remove it and place it in the snn for a few hours, then sow the seed immediately (as they invariably deteri- orate very rapidly by keeping) ; if fortune is propitious, some very fine plants may reward the patience and perseverance be- stowed in raising the seedlings. If the raising of seedlings is made one of the customary gardening operations, it will soon, by habit, become an amusement. GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. Crotons, like all other plants, absorb the nutriment they re- quire by their roots ; this is passed through the stem into the leaves where the greater portion of the liquid of which it is composed is discharged, and the residue is submitted to the action of the atmosphere; Carbonic acid is thus generated, which is decomposed by the action of the light ; Carbon is then fixed under the form of a nutritive material which is re-con- veyed into the system of the plant, and thus its growth and development are secured in proportion to the supply of the nutriment. But it has been ascertained that a proportion of 246 this secreted matter is subsequently discharged by the roots into the soil, thus rendering the soil unfit for the cultivation of the same species, although plants of other species may be raised in the contaminated soil without much apparent injury. It is very remarkable in plants which ripen their seed and throw out suckers or shoots, that these suckers strike out to a considerable distance from the parent plant, as if endeavouring to avoid the soil contaminated by the excrementitious discharge from the roots of the parent tree. It is, therefore, evident that periodically a change of soil is essential, and that plants in pots must be transplanted annually, and where this change cannot be effected, the soil around the plant must be very carefully removed without injuring the roots, and new soil substituted for that which has been already remov- ed ; this operation of transplanting or changing of the soil must invariably be performed shortly before the rains commence. It must be borne in mind that the operation of transplanta- tion will, more or less, effect the foliage or flowers put forth im- mediately after, or which were in course of being perfected when the transplantation took place, the result depending very much on the care bestowed in the carrying out of the operation ; when carelessly done, not only is there the risk of the subse- quent foliage or flowers being diminished in size, or distorted, but it may result in the loss of the whole of the foliage, or flowers, or in the total loss of the plant itself, therefore plants intended for exhibition or show-purposes should not be inter- fered with ; even if by accident the earthen pots containing them are fractured, they should be retained as they are, and the change into the new pot effected on the evening preceding the morning of the show, so that the foliage or bloom of the plant may be in perfection for the occasion. ALPHABETICAL LIST OF CROTONS* WITH A SHORT DESCRIPTION OF A FEW OF THEM. G. Alexandra is a tender but rare broad-leafed variety ; leaves being twelve to sixteen inches in length by five inches in breadth, of a dark green colour, irregularly spotted and streaked 247 with orange yellow and carmine ; as the leaves mature, these colours change into bronze and rich crimson ; should be grown in the shade, and cuttings will only succeed under glass. Croton Albicans. C. Amabilis. — A hardy narrow leafed variety produces green leaves, four inches long by half an inch wide with midrib and margins marked creamy white ; wants shade only in the very hot months, cuttings root easily. This plant can be grown for a long time in a small pot or vase for table decoration. C. Andreanus. — Richly-coloured large-leafed variety ; must be grown in the shade ; the leaves are twelve to fourteen inches long by five inches at the broadest part ; the ground colour is green, on which the midrib and veins are marked out in light creamy white ; as the leaves mature, these markings become a rich crimson ; cuttings succeed well. This plant must be " stop- ped," that is, the top must be pinched off to make it branch. Croton Aneitumensis. Croton Argus. G. Appendiculatus. — Hardy variety with small green, unmark- ed, interrupted leaves, that is, two leaves are grown which are connected by a costa or thread-like rib, about one and a half or two inches long ; wants protection during the very hot months only ; cuttings root easily. Croton Augustifolia. Croton Aureo — lineata. „ „ gigantea. „ „ — maculata. „ Aucubaefolius. „ ,, — phinecia. „ Attunata (Vivicans.) „ Baptisti. Baron Frank Selliere. — This hybrid has leaves twelve inches long by four wide, of a pleasing green, with irregular markings of a creamy yellow ; wants shade, cuttings, if not treated with care, will not root. Baron Jaifoes De Rothschild. — Also an hybrid of rare beauty ; grows very slowly, but the leaves are richly marked with bright crimson at a very early stage ; they are obovate in shape, nine inches long by four wide; must be grown in the shade, and cuttings raised under glass. This plant must be " stopped" to branch, and its slow growth and brilliant colours make it very suitable for table decoration. 248 Barton Westii. — This is a plant introduced by Mr. West of Calcutta from the South Sea Islands ; has very long leaves from twenty-four to thirty-six inches in length, and about two inches in breadth, but as the leaves are rolled backwards, they appear much narrower than they really are. The ground colour is a pleasing green with a narrow golden central band with occa- sional patches of the same colour ; must be grown in the shade ; cuttings root easily. Croton Bicolor. Croton Bismarkii. Croton Braegseanus. 0. Bergmanni. — This variety is of continental origin with bright green leaves, a foot in length and six inches in breadth, with the veins and central band marked out in ivory white; wants shade ; cuttings must be treated with care. C. Broomfieldii. — A narrow leaf variety, with very dark green leaves, nine inches long by two and a half wide, with the midrib and margins marked in bright crimson and golden variegations, in the shape of spots and bars freely distributed all over the leaf; must be grown in the shade; cuttings require care. Croton Braithevaitei. Croton Burtoni. „ Camptophyllus. „ Carrieri. „ Cascarilla. „ Chrysophyllus. 0. Challenger (Imperator). — This is an old favourite, and de- servedly so, having graceful drooping leaves from a foot to a foot and a half in length by two or three inches in breadth ; the young leaves are of a very light green with creamy white markings which leave very little of the green to be seen ; as the leaves mature, much of the latter colour gives place to magenta which gives the leaves a very grand appearance; easily pro- pagated, but must be grown in a very shady place. C. Chelsoni comes to us from New Guinea ; has small narrow leaves, very variable, some twisted, others plain, but all of them richly coloured with a peculiar tint of orange and bright crim- son ; wants shade ; is propagated easily and very suitable for table decoration. Croton Comte de Germiny. Croton Concinnus. „ Contortus. „ Cornigerus. 249 C. Cooperii. — A very handsome long drooping-leafed variety, very finely marked ; the foot-stalk, which is six inches long, is magenta, and this colour is carried through the length of the midrib of the leaf which is from twelve to eighteen inches long and three inches wide ; the ground colour is dark-green with all the veins marked out in creamy white ; the well-grown' matured leaves have tints of crimson intermixed, and appear, when seen from a distance, as if they were covered with white lace with crimson threads run in here and there. This plant is very ten- der ; wants shade, but will propagate easily; must be "stopped" to branch. Croton Cornntum. Croton Countess. „ Cronstandti. „ Crown Prince. ,, Cunningham!. „ Darciana. C. Day spring. — This is a very pretty variety with glowing colours like " Sunset" ; has semi-transparent leaves twelve to eighteen inches long and three inches wide ; not only is the upper part of the leaf marked with orange-yellow and crimson, but the under part has a shade of red which is reflected through the leaf, giving it a fiery appearance j wants shade, and cuttings must be raised under glass. Croton Diadem. Croton Diana. ,, Diversifolia. ,, Dodgsonii. „ Dormanianus. ,, Droueti. „ Duke of Connaught. „ Duke of Bnccleuch. „ „ Edinburgh. „ Duchess of Edinburgh. (7. Eburneus has lanceolate leaves, eight inches in length by an inch in breadth ; the ground colour is green with an, ivory white band half the breadth of the leaf running along tho centre ; propagates easily, but must be grown in the shade. Croton Eclipse. C. Elegantissimus sp. W. Bull has very long narrow leaves, the foot-stalks of which are of a bright red colour ; the varie- gation of the leaf consists in blotches and patches of bright golden yellow and chrome yellow ; is of hybrid origin ; very 32 250 tender ; wanting shade, and difficult to propagate except under Croton Elegans. Croton Evansiana. „ Ensifolia. „ Fenzii. Croton Elegantissimum. G. Excelsior has richly-coloured narrow leaves, about sixteen inches long by an inch and a half wide, of a deep green colour with yellow markings, which become a very bright crimson when the leaves mature ; must be grown in the shade, and pro- pagates easily. C. Formosus has lance-shaped leaves, fifteen inches long and an inch broad ; the stalks are crimson, which colour extends itself all along the midrib ; the bright green leaves are marked with pale yellow bands, blotches and spots, which subsequently change into crimson ; wants shade, and propagates easily. Croton Fordii. Croton Foxii. „ Freckle. „ Fucatus (lacteum). 0. Gladstonii has large bold leaves, sixteen inches long and four inches broad at the top, but tapers towards the stalk ; the large green leaves are covered with pale yellow markings, some- times in bands, sometimes in patches ; must be grown in a shady place ; propagates easily ; must be " stopped" early if a wide- spread plant is desired. C. Gloriosus. — A new introduction from the New Hebrides also known as the " Princess of Wales" ; the leaves are narrow, being a little more than an inch in breadth, but about twenty- four inches in length ; some of the leaves are very much un- dulated ; the habit is arching, and the variegation is uncertain ; in some leaves the ground colour is creamy yellow with clouded green blotches and spots, the smaller spots being confluent ; in other leaves these conditions are reversed ; this plant must be protected from the sun throughout the year, 'and cuttings will only root under glass. Croton Goldie. Croton Goldieana. „ Goodeneoughti. „ Gracilis. „ Grande, ,, Grotesque. 251 Croton Hastiferus. Croton Harlequin. „ Hawkerii. „ Hendersonii. Croton Henryanus (Macarthuri), No. 46. C. Heroicus. — This plant has leaves resembling the tri-lobed variety ; the leaves are obovate and having the front portion of the leaf narrower than the back ; the bright green leaves are copiously marked with yellow ; in some cases the whole of the leaf is covered with this colour, on others it is mixed with a rosy crimson tint ; wants shade, and cuttings must be treated with care ; is very suitable for table decoration. Croton Hillianus. Croton Hybridum. Croton Hookerii. C. Illustris is a fantastically grotesque-looking plant with a very good sprinkling of three-lobed green leaves attached to purplish foot-stalks, and spotted and blotched with golden yellow ; must be grown in the shade ; this is a new plant not yet propagated in Southern India ; cuttings should be raised under glass to prevent disappointment. Croton Imperialis. Croton Imperialis — aurea. „ Interruptum. „ Interruptum — aurea. „ Insignis. „ Irregular. C. Jamesii, a very distinct variety with leaves from three to four inches in length by two inches in breadth ; the ground colour is ivory white with scanty irregular markings in green of two or three shades ; a very delicate plant ; wants plenty of shade, this plant must be " stopped" and compelled to branch early ; cuttings succeed well ; very suitable for table decoration. C. Johannis. — This is a long narrow-leafed variety (resembling the old " longifolium") ; the leaves are from ten to fourteen inches in length and less than half an inch in breadth ; the ground colour is green, which in the young leaf is suffused with yellow markings, but when the leaf matures, scarcely any of the green ground colour remains to be seen, the leaves being almost entirely yellow ; will stand a moderate amount of sun ; cuttings grow easily. Croton Jubilee. Croton Jacksoni (Noblis). 252 C. KingianuSj as its name denotes, is the grandest and noblest of the Crotons, with rich bright green leaves, some of which are twenty inches in length and nearly eight inches in breadth, brilliantly variegated with golden yellow markings ; the plant must be grown in the shade where plenty of light is available, or the golden markings will not come out to advan- tage ; cuttings easily root. 0. Lady Zetland is a densely-leaved variety of drooping habit ; the leaves are a foot long, but only an inch wide, of a shining green splashed with yellow ; the midrib being dark orange mar- gined with crimson ; wants shade, and cuttings must be raised under glass. Croton Laingi. Croton Lancifolius. „ Latifolius. „ Longifolium (Salici- f olium) . C. Longifolium (Australian). — This is a fine long-leafed variety with spiral and undulated dropping leaves eighteen to twenty inches long, of a dark bronze, (nearly black,) the young light green leaves being a striking contrast next to the black matured leaves ; will stand a moderate amount of sun ; propagates easily. C. Lord Eipon. — This plant is very much like the well-known " C. Hookerii," only the leaves are very much larger, and the golden markings are much richer and less of the green is seen ; will grow in the sun except in the very hot months ; cuttings suc- ceed easily. C. Lowii (Handburyanus) is a very handsome Croton, with long pendulous leaves about eighteen inches in length and three in breadth, of a bright green colour with patches of light; yellow, which become suffused with crimson markings as the leaves mature ; the underside of the leaves have a shade of crimson which makes them very rich in appearance ; must be grown in the shade ; cuttings want care. Croton Linearis. Croton Lord Belhaven. C. Hac/eeanus is a plant with foliage like Croton "Maxima," with a large patch of creamy yellow, sometimes covering nearly two-thirds of the leaf and at others only one side of the leaf, 253 leaving the opposite side perfectly green ; must have shade ; cut- tings grow easily. Croton Macfarlanei. Croton Macarthuri. „ Macarthur Species. „ Macarthuri, Nos. 11, „ Maculata-Kattonii. 37, 47, 56, 85. „ Maculata — var. C. Magnolifolius is one of the few large-leafed Crotons that has the primary veins of the leaf distinctly marked in crimson on a bright green ground ; the leaves are twelve to fourteen inches long and five inches broad ; will grow to advantage next to "Kingianus; " is very delicate, and if placed where there is too much sun or shade, will deteriorate very rapidly ; cuttings raised under glass. C. Majesticum, a bright-looking plant, with narrow leaves about fourteen inches in length ; the ground colour is light green with the central rib marked out in creamy yellow, but as the leaves mature, the green and yellow are replaced with a dark shade of red, and the middle of the leaf has a bright crimson band ; the leaves being long and drooping, makes the plant very handsome ; must be grown in the shade ; cuttings succeed well. C. Mirabilis is a richly marked plant, with leaves ten inches in length by three inches in breadth ; the bronze green leaves are marbled, blotched and veined with rosy crimson which gives it a rich appearance ; wants shade ; cuttings require care. (7. Morti has leaves eight inches in length by about four inches in breadth in the broadest part, that is, near the apex ; the leaf tapers towards the foot-stalk ; the ground colour is a bright green on which the midrib and primary veins are very broadly marked in creamy yellow ; wants plenty of shade ; cuttings rather delicate. Croton Maxima. Croton Microphyllum. Croton Medium. C. Hooreanus has long drooping leaves sixteen to eighteen inches in length by one and a half inches in breadth ; the ground colour is a bright green with bright yellow markings consisting of a yellow midrib and primary veins with numerous yellow bars across the leaf; in some cases the yellow is very profuse, but this 254 condition is only obtained by exposure to the sun ; a moderate exposure, during the cooler months only, will produce a very handsome plant ; cuttings grow very easily. Croton Mrs. Dormau. Croton Multicolour. C. Multiformis grows a variety of leaves, that is, of different shapes, the most interesting of them being the spiral and inter- rupted ones which are about a foot long and an inch in breadth; the ground colour is bright green spotted with pale yellow and tinted with crimson ; requires shade ; cuttings must be treated with care. Croton Murillo, C. Mutabilis (Princep's), as its name denotes, grows leaves of a variety of shapes ; the most remarkable are those that are interrupted and which are enlarged towards the apex into a cup- like termination, from which a rib or thread grows for two or three inches in length, and a second leaflet also very variably in shape is formed ; the colours are dark-green, marked with shades of yellow and pink, which, when matured, become bright orange and magenta ; must have shade ; cuttings easily root, but in selecting branches, one with the largest number of interrupted leaves on it should be chosen. Croton Neptune. Croton Nevillise. „ Newtonii. „ Negro-rubra. Croton Nigrum. C. Ornatus has oblong deep green leaves, with partially undu- lated margins, a central band, and long parallel veins of creamy yellow, also irregular blotches of the same colour which becomes tinged with crimson ; some of the leaves are bronzy green with lines and blotches of rosy pink and a midrib of rosy crimson ; propagated easily. Croton Orestes. Croton Ovalifolium. C. Prince Albert Victor. — An Australian variety of dense drooping habit ; some of the long pendulous leaves are complete- ly spiral, others have a twist only, but they are invariably undulated ; the leaf is dark-green, handsomely spotted and margined with yellow; requires plenty of shade, and cuttings are propagated easily ; must be " stopped" to branch. 255 C. Prince of Wales.— This plant has been cultivated under the nanae of " Schomburgkiaua" ; it is too well known to require de- scription ; it is, however, very difficult to obtain a position for this plant in the garden so that the leaves may be well coloured ; a well coloured plant should have its leaves almost entirely pale yellow, margined and blotched with rich carmine, with irre- gular patches of light green, the midrib and leaf stalk being bright magenta; cuttings root easily. Croton Parkerii. Croton Pictum. ,, Picturatus. „ Pilgrimii. „ President. „ President Cherreau. „ Paradoxus. „ Prima Donna. C. Recurvifolius. — This plant is a great improvement on Croton " Volutus," the leaves growing more densely, being twice the breadth, and the midrib and veins being marked in rich crimson, makes it a grander plant ; the leaves have also a rugged and waved appearance as the veins are much sunk below the surface ; must be " stopped" to branch ; propagated easily. (7. Eoseo-Picta. — A very tender but pretty Hybrid of dwarf and dense habit and very richly coloured, the green leaf being literally covered with markings of a very light yellow and rose tints ; must be grown in the shade, and cuttings raised under glass ; the old variety, Croton " Pictum," is often sold as Roseo- Picta. Croton Queen Victoria. Croton Regina. „ Queensland. „ Reedii, „ Rex. „ Rodeckiana. „ Royal Prince. „ Rotundifolia. (7. Rulescens, an introduction from the South Sea Islands, with lanceolate leaves ; the midrib and veins are yellow with freckles of the same colour passing through rosy red on the ribs and orange red on the freckling to deep green with rich crimson, lines and spots ; wants shade, and cuttings require care. Croton Rubro-lineatus. C. Schomlurgkiana. — This is similar in description to tho " Princess of Wales," only the colouring is pale yellow, white and 25G brilliant crimson ; must be grown in the shade and " stopped" if required to branch ; cuttings must be raised under glass. C. Sir Ashly Eden has very handsome twisted leaves of a graceful drooping habit, about eighteen inches long and one and half inches in breadth ; the colour is green ; the midrib and mar- gins are deep magenta, the underside of the leaf is crimson, but many of the leaves are entirely marked with magenta, which makes it a grand plant ; wants plenty of shade, being delicate ; cuttings should be put under glass. Croton Sovereign. Croton Sunset. „ Spectabilis. „ Speciosus. „ Splendidus. „ Speckle. „ Spencki. „ Spiralis. Croton Stewarti. C. Superbiens, a very richly coloured variety, a native of New Guinea ; the leaves are oblong acute, with the base rounded ; they begin to colour with yellowish markings on a green ground and finish off on the matured leaves with a ground colour of dark bronze intermixed with coppery portions, while the costa and veins are picked out with crimson, making a very handsome plant for table decoration j wants shade, and cuttings root easily. Croton Shuttleworthii. Croton Tri-colour. C. Trilobus, Earl of Derby, is a very slow-growing three-lobed foliage Croton of dwarf habit ; the stem and the leaf-stalk are bright yellow, and this colour extends along the midrib and diffuses itself over two-thirds of the leaf, which subsequently takes on bright red markings as the leaf matures : this plant must be " stopped" to branch ; must have plenty of shade, and from its dwarf habit, slow growth, and rich colouring is suitable for table decoration j cuttings succeed easily. C. Trilobus, Lord Cairns. -r-This is like the " Earl of Derby," only with leaves of much brighter colours, the mature leaves being entirely covered with bright crimson ; it is hardy and can be placed out in the open garden except in the very hot months ; it can be propagated easily, Croton Trilobus Albert!. Croton Trilobus Disraeli. „ „ Traveller. ,, Torquatus. „ Tortilis. Truffantianus. 257 C. Triumphans (Harwoodianus) was introduced from the New Hebrides, the long leaves have a longish tapered point some- what re-curved ; the leaves are rolled backwards, are deep green in colour with a yellow line on either side of the midrib ; the principal veins are also marked out in the same colour ; the costa is bright crimson which increases in intensity in the mature leaf, while the other portions turn bronze green ; must be grown in the shade ; cuttings succeed easily. Croton Undulatum. Croton Variabilis, (falcatus). „ Variegatum. „ Veitchii, Nos. 1 & 2. „ Vedalli. „ Volutus, Nos. 1 & 2. C. Vittatus has oblong leaves nine inches long by two inches wide, with long leaf -stalks coloured yellow and bright red ; the fine green leaves have a band running laterally along the bases of the primary veins, which are of a creamy yellow colour ; as the leaves mature, the red in the leaf -stalk extends along the midrib of the leaf, giving it a brighter appearance; wants shade; cuttings succeed well. G. Warrenii has very long narrow spiral leaves, sometimes thirty to thirty-two inches in length, pendant and arching ; the dark green leaves are fantastically mottled and marked with rich crimson, carmine, and orange yellow ; this plant grows very slowly and will only branch when "stopped;" requires plenty of shade ; cuttings succeed easily. Croton Washingtonii. Croton Weismannii. G. Williamsii. — This is a very richly coloured variety ; the foliage begins to characterise at a very early stage ; the leaves are ten to twelve inches in length by three or four inches wide ; the young leaves are green with bands of yellow, but these colours quickly disappear as the leaf matures, when the leaf is found to be of a reddish bronze marked with rich violet crimson and magenta ; the underside of the leaf is also coloured with a shade of crimson imparting altogether a rich appearance ; this plant branches freely, and is very good for table decoration; although a fast grower will not stand much sun ; cuttings root easily. Croton Wilsoni. Croton Wrightii, Croton Youngii. 33 FOLIAGE PLANTS. ALOCASIAS. There are above fifteen varieties of this plant in the trade, all of them are easily grown in Compost Number 3* ; many of these plants require to be grown under the shade of trees, or in the fern house ; their leaves are of imposing dimensions, and a few of them have beautifully variegated stems and leaves; some varieties of this plant propagate themselves (like " Gigan- tea," "Lowii" and "Macrorrhiza-Variegata"), that is, young shoots grow round the parent plant, which spring from the roots ; when these have established themselves well, and grown three or four leaves, they should be removed from the parent plant (between October and February being the most suitable time); other varieties like "Metallica" and " Zebrina" grow bulbs which will be found among the roots when making the annual transplantations ; these bulbs should be collected and sown in shallow seed pans filled with fine river sand, when they will germinate. The kinds offered for sale are named as under : — Alocasia Amabilis. Alocasia Chelsoni. A. Gigantea. — This is a grotesque-looking plant, growing to a great height ; the leaves have numerous projections like digits, and the edges of the leaf are slightly undulated ; the leaves, like the plant, are of huge dimensions. Alocasia Illustris. Alocasia Jenningsii. A. Johnstoni (Cyrtosperma Johnstoni) . — This is a very beauti- fully variegated description ; is a native of the Solomon Islands (in the Pacific Ocean) ; has arrow-shaped leaves, olive green, * COMPOST No. 3. — Fine river sand, three parts ; vegetable mould, one ; and decayed manure, one part. This compost is well adapted for bulbs in general. Dahlias seem to grow well in it, but require liquid manure occasionally. — Hints to Amateur Gardeners, ly A. T. Jaffrey. 259 variegated and veined with bright rosy red; the leaf-stalk is furnished with whorls, and the stem is darkly mottled. Alocasia Lowii. Alocasia Macrorrhiza-Variegata, Alocasia Marshallii. A. Metallica, so called from the metallic hue of the leaves which are peltately attached to the leaf-stalk and slightly cup- ped ; the primary veins are depressed and are marked distinctly in a deeper colour than the ground colour of the leaf ; this plant is delicate and requires care ; propagated by bulbs found among the roots. Alocasia Pieta. Alocasia Singaporensis. „ Sedenii „ Sikhimensis. A. Thibautiana has immense leaves of a deep olive greyish green, with a midrib of a peculiar .grey white tint with grey veins branching from it ; the leaves are of a lasting description, being of a firm stout leather-like texture. Alocasia Veitchii. Alocasia Violacea. A. Zebrina, so called from the stem being variegated ; known to native gardeners as the Snake Caladium. ANTHURIUMS. These plants belong to a very picturesque- family and are re- markably adapted for decorative and show purposes ; the huge leaves are in some cases very beautifully marked, and some have a lustrous velvety appearance ; new varieties are continually being introduced, especially by Mr. W. Bull of Chelsea, from New Grenada, Brazil, Colombia and South America ; the major- ity of these handsome plants which have been imported to this country grow easily ; they propagate very slowly by suckers or shoots, but they can also be propagated very rapidly by remov- ing a portion of the bulb of the old plant, cutting or dividing it in pieces about one inch square, with one or more eyes in each piece and sowing them in shallow seed pans with fine river sand ; this process requires skill and experience, and should be tried on the common varieties at first, and when sufficient experience has been gained in rearing these, rarer varieties may be propa- gated by this method ; no plant, less than two years old, should 260 be operated on in this way and no more than two-thirds of the bulb of the parent plant should be cut away, and in doing this, the roots of the old plant must be saved uninjured as far as possible : the portion cut away should be washed clean of all earth or manure, then the whole of the roots adhering to it must be removed, and the bulb divided and sown as already directed. The whole of these plants must be grown in the shade. The varieties commonly met with in Indian collections are — A. Andreanum, a magnificent plant from the United States of Colombia, of tufted habit with cordate dark green leaves. A. Crystallinum. — This is now very common and may be seen in almost every collection ; it is, nevertheless, very handsome, having large leaves of a rich but dark olive green with the prin- cipal veins marked out on either side by bright silvery white bands. The young leaves are of a shade of bronze. A. Crystallinum Williamsii. — This plant is very much like the above except that the leaves are considerably elongated. A. Dechardi, a robust variety admired for its snow-white flowers, which are fragrant. Anthurium Grande. Anthurium Patini. „ Insigne (this is „ Hybridum. a new tri-lobed „ Ornatum. variety) . „ Regale. ,, Magneficum. A. Scherzerianum. — This plant is chiefly admired for its large brilliant scarlet flowers. Anthurium Trilobum. Anthurium Williamsii. A. Veitchii. — This plant has leaves nearly three feet long and a foot broad, with a glossy metallic but waved appearance. Warocqueanum. — This is a fine variety with leaves from twenty-five to thirty inches in length by eight or nine inches broad, of rich velvety green, on which the midrib and veins are marked in a lighter colour forming a fine contrast. AKALIAS. This family, like the Panax, is very much used for table deco- ration; will stand the sun only in the cool season and, like Crotons, 261 are propagated by cuttings ; the foliage is very varied, being in some instances variegated with creamy white, and in others reddish crimson ; the leaves also assume many irregular shapes, some being very minute in size while others are the reverse ; as these plants are easily grown, they are worthy the attention of Amateurs. DRACAENAS. These plants belong to a very elegant showy family, and are now so numerous that leaves of almost any shade of creamy white, green or red, can be obtained, mixed or unmixed, with other tints; most of them propagate themselves by suckers, but by a division of the bulbs, like those of Authuriums, they can be very easily increased; in six or seven months the bulb of a Dracsana can be divided if the weather is cool enough, the pieces cut from that portion of the bulb removed must be put into seed pans with fine river sand to grow. Draccena Goldieana is considered the Queen of this group ; it comes from Western Tropical Africa ; the leaf-stalks are of a greyish colour, with a furrow along the upper side ; the leaf- blade is cordate-ovate with a yellowish green rib marbled and branded with alternate silver grey and dark green bands, the reverse of the leaf having a reddish purple colour. MARANTAS. This is a group of very ornamental foliage plants easily propa- gated by division of the bulbs, or by the suckers thrown out by the parent tree. The Arrowroot plant belongs to this family, and is known as "Maranta Ariindinacea." PANAX. These are ever-green plants with remarkably varied leaflets ; some of them are of a dense bushy habit, the leaves being as numerous as they are minute ; a few of them are plumelike in character, and these are unsurpassed for table decoration ; can be propagated without any trouble from cuttings during any time of the year. 262 PALMS AND CYCADS. It is a matter for surprise that with a climate so suitable for their growth, and with so many natives at hand, these plants, which are undoubtedly the noblest and most majestic of the vegetable kingdom, have suffered so much neglect ; their name is Legion and their luxuriance, grandeur, and adaptation for table and other decorative purposes unsurpassed, yet beyond a few common varieties, they are almost unrepresented in most collections, and the absence of the finer kinds in our Annual Shows and in our gardens is an error that must be put right without loss of time ; no known plant is capable of imparting the oriental grandeur, that a pile of palms can, to a tropical garden ; the numerous dwarf kinds with miniature, but neverthe- less perfectly graceful forms, are admirably suited for the deco- ration of the drawing and dining room, while the larger kinds are suitable for entrances, verandahs and conservatories, the natives being grown out in the open garden. - ,, The most economical method of obtaining a collection is to raise the same from seed which is obtainable at very reasonable rates from the Eoyal Botanical Gardens at Calcutta, Mauritius and Ceylon ; the seed should be received in May or June if possible, and put into nursery pots or pans, each description separately, because young palms look very much alike, and if mixed up cannot be distinguished easily by Amateurs until after the leaves begin to characterise; the soil in which the palm seeds are to be sown should contain very little manure, therefore take three baskets of earth from any part of the gar- den free from stones and gravel, mix one basket of red earth and one of river sand, to which add half a basket of horse manure,* and you have a soil suitable for their growth ; after the seed has been sown, water the pots or pans regularly from a can ; the seed takes months to germinate, varying very much according to the species, so that watering should not be discontinued because some of the seed has germinated, and the others show no signs of putting in an appearance. Palms, as a rule, grow very slowly, so to expect to propagate them from the seed to be obtained from plants raised from 263 seed, is quite out of the question ; but, fortunately, some kinds, remarkably the cane or Calamus palms, throw out shoots or young plants by the side of the parent tree: these may be separated during the rains from the parent, but care must be taken to first see that the young plants have formed independ- ent roots for themselves through which they can absorb the nutriment necessary for their existence. The following is a list of palms, nearly all of which can be obtained either by seed or in small seedling plants from Indian Nurseries at a comparatively cheap rate, but any one wishing to possess a first-class collection, must make up his mind to pay from five to fifteen guineas a dozen for them in England, besides the cost and risk of bringing out to this country rare specimens (which are quoted from two to five guineas each) to be handed over to the tender mercies of a native gardener who would be sure to kill them with mistaken kindness if not with starvation. LIST OF PALMS AND CYCADS THAT HAVE SUCCEEDED WELL ON THE PLAINS. Areca Aurea, one of the finest and most graceful of the nut palms, with stems of a yellowish colour, easily raised from seed. Areca Baueri, also known as " Seaforthia Robusta." Areca Disticha, known in some collections as " Wallichia Disticha," easily raised, and will grow in any situation. Areca Gracilis, a very fine palm, can be grown for a long time in a small pot or vase, is very like " A. Lutescens." Areca Horrida, a narrow-leafed variety ; will grow without much care and in any situation. Areca Lutescens, a very graceful palm ; propagates very rapidly by shoots grown in the vicinity of the parent stem; wants shade. Areca Madagascarensis, a hardy variety with narrow long leaves scantily distributed on the stem. Areca Oleracea, hardy palm, can be grown out in the open ; requires careful treatment while young, Areca Ruhr a, so called from the reddish tint of the stems and midribs of the leaves ; must have shade. Areca Triandra, a large-leafed variety, very distinct and handsome ; wants shade. Areca Catechu, the betel-nut palm of India, native of Ceylon. Areca Verschaffeltii, also known as " Hyophorbe," an elegant variety ; the reverse of the leaf-stock has a creamy yellow stripe, and the midrib of the leaves are of the same colour. Arenga Obtusifolia. Arenga SaccJiarifera, the sugar palm of this country. Arenga Wightii, a fine dwarf palm from the Coimbatore Dis- trict j will grow easily and in any situation. 265 Astrocaryum Argenteum, (known as the silver palm), a very fine variety, native of Colombia, with the leaf-stalks and reverse side of the leaves covered with a silver white scurf, the upper surface being bright green ; seeds not obtainable, must be pro- cured in seedling plants. Bowenia Spectabilis Serrulata, a remarkable Cycad, native of Australia, being the only plant of this family with bipianate fronds ; the leaves are large, handsome and serrated at the mar- gins ; very rare. Calamus Oittarit, a fine cane palm, propagates easily. Calamus Jenldnsoni. — This cane is very handsome and throws up shoots very rapidly. Calamus Ceylon, sp., (na- Calamus Roxburghi, (native tive cane of cane of Ceylon) . Ceylon). „ Java, sp. „ Leptospodix. „ Malacca, sp. Caryota SoboUfera. Caryota Obtusifolia. „ Urens, the Sago palm, „ Cunningham!. a native of Ceylon. Ceroxylon Andicola, the wax palm of South America. Chamcerops Fortune^ known also as " Excelsa" in some collec- tions. Chamcerops Humilis, a very useful palm for decorative pur- poses. Chameerops Gracilis. Chamaerops Bichardiana. Cocos Flexuosa. Cocoa Chilensis. „ Nucifera, is the Cocoanut „ Plumosa. palm of India. Cocos Weddelliana, rather tender, but one of the most elegant of the palm family, with leaves of a rich green colour, very suitable for table decoration, being a slow grower, and dwarfish in habit ; wants shade. Corypha Alata. Corypha Australis, fine, useful palm, known also as "Livis- tonia Australia," very hardy. 34 266 GorypTia Umbraculifera, native of Ceylon, raised easily from seed, and will grow in any situation. Cycas Circinalis, hardy Cycad, very common. Cycas Media, a good Cycad from New Holland, producing a grand crown of foliage of large size which vary in different trees of the same species. Cycas Bevoluta. Cycas Bumphii. Cycas Undulata, a very fine Cycad that will grow without much trouble. Dcemonorops Fissus. Dcemonorops Palembanicus, a very elegant palm, a native of Java ; the young leaves are of a bright cinnamon-brown which gradually become deep green by age ; requires shade. Dcemonorops Plumosus, one of the most elegant and graceful of palms, very plume-like in appearance and admirably adapted for table decoration ; must be grown in the shade. Elceis Guineensis. — This is the oil palm, a native of Africa ; will grow in any situation. Euterpe Edulis. — This is the cabbage palm of Brazil, and is also known as " Oreodoxa Sancona." Geonoma Gracilis. Geonoma Speciosa. Geonoma Spixiana. Jabcea Spectabilis. — (Cocos Chilensis.) Kentia Belmoreana. — Kentia Fosteriana. Kentia Canterburyana. Kentia Wendlandiana, a very noble-looking palm, with large handsome leaves serrated (or toothed) at the apex ; native of Queensland ; will grow in any situation. Latania Aurea. Latania Borbonica. Licuala Spinosa, propagate very rapidly by suckers or shoots, and is very hardy. Licuala Peltata. 267 Livistona Anstralis. Livistona Mauritiaiia. „ Chilensis. „ Oliviformis. „ Hoogendorpii, a „ Rotundifolia, very broad-leaf- known in some ed variety. collections as „ Jenkinsii. (Subglobosa). Macrozamia Cylindrica, a nicely-marked Cycad from Queens- land ; must be grown in the shade. Macrozamia Denisoni. Macrozamia Perowskiana, very tender and -very slow in growth; requires shade. Maximiliana Regia. Oreodoxa " Acuminata" and " Regia,' " both are fine narrow drooping-leafed palms, growing very easily and rapidly. Phoenix Acaulis. Phoenix Compacta, dwarf Hybrid obtained by crossing two other Phcenix, sp.. very tender. Phcenix Dactylifera, the common date of India, Phcenix Beclinata. Phoenix Rupicola, the best kind of Phcenix yet discovered, very graceful and ornamental and can be grown without any trouble whatever. Phoenix Sylvestris, a sugar-yielding palm, native of Ceylon. Phcenix Andamans, sp. Pritchardia Grandis, a truly grand palm with very large handsome leaves ; a young palm of this species was shown at our Horticultural Exhibition among other rare palms and plants, which obtained a prize ; it attracted much attention ; it is scarce, but no collection should be without it as it is easily grown and can be obtained from Calcutta in seedling plants. Ptychosperma Elegans. — See Seaforthia Elegans. Sabal Adamsoni. Sabal Minor, Blackburniana „ Palmetto. 268 Seaforthia Elegans, a very good and easily-grown variety, known also as " Ptychosperma Elegans," a native of Ceylon. Seaforthia Eobusta. — See Areca Baueri. Stevensonia Grandifolia, also known as " Phoenicophorium Sechellarum" ; easily raised from seed. Thrinax Elegans, a very showy palm, well suited for exhibi- tion. Thrinax Glauca. Thrinax Parviflora. Zamia Cylindrica. Zamia Denisoni. Zamia Miyuelii (" Spiralis,") a native of Queensland; has very elegant fronds, erect with a slight spiral twist ; it is also known as " Zamia Fraseri." MUL BOOKS ftMT • :--onr can - r _ :I: OZ4 6 INDIAN LAW PUBLICATIONS. Cash Prices with Postage. RS. A. Kent Recovery Act— Madras, No. 8 of 1865, with Preface, Notes and Index, by H. J. Stokes, C. S., 2nd edition ... ... ... 2 4 Rent Recovery Act— Madras, No. 8 of 1865, with Preface, Notes, Appendix and Index, by John French ... ... ,M ... 1 2 Revenue (Catechism of the) Code containing 1,000 Questions and Answers on corresponding Revenue Regulations and Acts and Orders, Glossary of Revenue Terms, &c., by P. Jfcimamvjii Gharry... 3 4 Revenue Regulations and Acts relating to Revenue Matters revised to the end of 1884, arranged chronologically with liules, &c., and Index, CM >m piled by F. J. Dawes, 3rd edition ... ... ... 10 10 Rules and Orders and Table of Fees of the Court for the Relief of In- solvent Debtors at Madras, 22nd Dec. 1848 ... ... 3 4 Saltpetre, a Brief Account of its Theory, Origin, source of supply, methods of manufacture and refining, by W. Kingston... ... 0 9 Salt Test-Books. Report on the manufacture of Salt in the Madras Presidency, 1872, by J. J. L. Katton ... ... ... ... ... 110 Hand-book of Common Salt, by J. J. L. Ration, with a chapter on the Manufacture and Chemistry of Saltpetre, 2nd edition ... 6 6 Manual — Law and Rules relating to the Salt Department ... 1 1 Savigny's (Von) System of the Modern Roman Law, translated by Hon. W. Holloway, Vol. I ... ... ... ... 5 5 Shadagopah's Manual of Mahomedan Civil Law, 7th ed... ... 2 2 Sloan's Digest of Decisions on Mahomedan Law brought up to 1881, 2nd edition ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 2 Smruti Chandrika, or the Hindu Law of Inheritance, translated by T. Kristriasawmy Iyer, 2nd edition ... ... ... 5 7 Specific (The) Relief Act No. I of 1877, with Index ... ... i 2 Stamp (The) Act No. 1 of 1879, with the Statement of Objects and Keasons, Mr. Cockerell's Speech, Report of the Select Committee, Contents, Schedule, and Rules and Index, 3rd ed., revised ... 1 6 Stamp Rules, as contained in the Standing Orders of the Board of Revenue, with Forms, corrected up to 31st August 1882,' 2nd ed. ... 1 1 Standing Orders of the Board of Revenue, official edition, corrected up to 3 1st December ] 884 ... ... ... ... ... 7 10 Strange's Hindu Law, vol. 1st, 5th ed., with introduction, by J. D. Mayne and Digest of Cases. ... ... ...10 6 Sutherland's Hindoo Law of Adoption, 26 pages ... ...11 Teroomal Row's Digest of the Judgments passed by H. M.'s Privy Council on Appeals from India; with Notes from the Acts, Regu- lations, Hindoo and Mahonedan Laws ... ... ... 5 4 Thomson's Manual of Hindu law, 3rd edition, revised and consider- ably improved, illustrated by the decisions of all the Courts and the Privy Council, with an Index now given for the first time and new cases noted up and added. The Appendix contains a discussion of the recent Shivagungah Case ... ... ... 6 4 Vivada Chintamani, a Succinct commentary on the Hindoo Law pre- valent in Mithila, from the original Sanscrit of Vachaspati Misra, by P. C. Tagore, 2nd edition ... ... ... ... 6 8 Weir's Law of Offences and Criminal Procedure as expounded by the High Court of Madras from the year 1862 to 30th June 1882, com- piled and annotated by T. Weir, 'Esq., M.C.S., 2nd edition ... 10 7 List of Standard Law Books, and publications can be bad on application.