just so long as we do so will disappointment follow our efforts. There is a greater difference in the climate than the degrees of latitude and longitude would naturally lead us to imagine—and, sooner or later, this fact will be learned-to the interest of all.

MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE.

ART. 1. General Notices.

Transplanting Budded Roses.-It is well known to all rose-growers, that those varieties which are budded or grafted on briars are apt to degenerate unless removed every three or four years. In my own experience, this has especially been the case with the hybrid perpetuals, many of which have become more sickly every year, and some have died off, although, when planted, they were vigorous and healthy. The causes of this are probably numerous, arising from the unnatural, or, more properly, artificial union of the stock and the graft, and the little attention generally paid to congeniality of habit when performing the operation. But, as far as the evil admits of correction by transplanting, the cause appears to lie in the soil or the state of the root; and, when taking up a large number last week, I particularly observed the condition of that organ, and its relation to the state of the tree. I found, in most cases, that the unhealthy subjects had very few root fibres, but, in the place of them, a mass of wood, often in a rotten state, fully accounting for disease in the tree. It was evident that, in my case, the briars had been improperly prepared in the first instance, old stools having been used, with no root fibres, and incapable of producing any. Where this was not the case, the rough mode of digging them from their native hedges had left fractures and wounds, accounting for a want of health. The mode of procuring briars, as often practised, thus becomes the source of injury to the budded head in future years, and cannot be too much reprehended. Men are engaged to get them at so much per hundred, and they are hacked up in the roughest manner. To have briars in a proper state for grafting or budding, they should be grown for the purpose, that a young stem may proceed from a root of its own age, and not from one become venerable from twenty summers.

The cause now mentioned, and the necessity for a change of soil, render it desirable to remove budded roses, and I will detail the plan I adopted myself, and am still pursuing. Choose your new situation as remote as convenient from the old one, and well dig the soil to the depth of eighteen inches, incorporating with it a large portion of well rotted manure. ployed night-soil and ashes, which have been mixed for twelve months, but should have preferred the dung of an exhausted cucumber bed; although

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I must mention that Mr. Paul recommends the former compost for light soils in preference to the latter. The holes being ready, dig up the rosetrees, taking care not to break the roots, which is very likely to happen if they are not well loosened with the fork. Prune the head close in, and cut away all dead parts about the juncture of the stock and the bud. Then prune the roots, leaving as much as possible of the young fibres; cut away all useless and decayed portions, and see that no rough wounds remain. As each tree is finished, let it be put in its new situation, allowing the roots to be exposed to the air as little as possible. Arrange the fibres nicely on the surface of fine soil, and cover with the same; tread the whole firmly in, and give a good watering. This must be repeated occasionally in dry weather the first season, and, with this care, the trees will not suffer by removal. The pruning of the roots, and the new soil, will excite to the production of fresh fibres, and the results of your operations will appear in finer flowers and a more vigorous growth.

Although budded roses suffer most by continuing too long in one locality, all kinds will be improved by occasional removal. Let a few be done every year, and the whole collection will be kept in high condition. The flowering will be retarded by the process, but this will be an advantage, by prolonging the blooming season. It should have been mentioned that, when examining the roots of the briars, all those parts of the buried stem which have thrown up suckers should be cut away, to prevent that nuisance in future. If you intend to bud roses yourself, choose proper stocks, avoiding all those club-footed things which are so plentifully found in hedges. -(Gard. Chron., 1849, p. 181.)

Weigelia rosea.-Although this is perfectly hardy, it deserves notice as a pot plant for window or balcony gardening, and it also answers admirably for forcing. For the latter purpose, any time during February, March, or April, select strong plants in 3-inch pots, and shift them into 6 or 8-inch pots, using turfy loam, a little leaf-mould, and some sand. Let them be plunged in an open situation fully exposed to the sun. They will require some little summer-pruning, or rather pinching, in order to make them bushy. By autumn, they will be nice dwarf plants, and may be removed to the forcing pit, cool part of the stove, or warm greenhouse, taking care not to prune them. Few plants present a more graceful appearance, and require less care.-(Gard. Chron., 1849, p. 181.)

Hint respecting the Culture of Araucaria imbricata.-There was planted in a park in the south of England, in the autumn of 1845, a number of good sized plants of Araucaria imbricata, in various soils and situations, all considered more or less good, with one exception. This latter plant was placed in what might be considered a disadvantageous site in all respects; when planted, it was looked upon as certain not to do well, being in a low valley where fogs appear earliest and leave latest, and where the most powerful winds sweep along more destructively than in the exposed places at the foot of a hill facing the north, and shaded by large trees during the whole winter season, and where, six inches below the turf, there is a hard bed of stones; yet this tree looks most luxuriantly, and has made growth in the

proportion of three to one more than any of its contemporaries. There is no doubt that the sweeping winds, the bed of stones, and the entire absence of sun for several months have all proved favorable to it.-(Gard. Chron., 1849, p. 181.)

Culture of Neapolitan Violets.-We extract the following passages from a communication we received a week since from Mr. Allan, of Dumfriesshire, deeming it more than possible that some of our readers might feel interested in the method of their cultivation-the more particularly as the directions given are clear and distinct. The violet is, at all times, a favorite flower for the bouquet, a distinction it richly merits, from its color-the rarest in floriculture--and, still more so, by the delightful fragrance it yields, which, unlike many other perfumes, is agreeable to every one, or, at least, we never knew any party who objected to the scent of violets. We proceed with Mr. Allan's observations :-"Having been very successful, this winter, in growing the Neapolitan violet, I think it only right to make my treatment of it known for the benefit of others. In the spring of 1848, I had the old plants properly dressed, by taking off all the dead leaves, forking up the soil round about the plants. The first week in April, I topdressed the old plants with fresh soil, to encourage runners. These young shoots will become well rooted little plants about the latter end of May. Having prepared a bed for the plants, by mixing a compost of two parts loam and one of vegetable mould, just colored with fine sand, remembering that the soil requires to be porous, with the usual garden soil, I proceeded to mark my bed in rows, about 16 inches apart, placing the plants at 10 inches distance from each other. I was very particular in lifting the young plants with as compact balls of earth as possible, removing them carefully with a trowel. I then gently watered them with a fine rose watering pot, shading them from intense sun. All they now required was attention to weeding, occasionally running the Dutch hoe among them. In the first week of September, I prepared to pot them in large size 32. I took great care to have the drainage well attended to. The compost with which I filled my pots is three parts sandy loam and one part charcoal. In this I placed one plant in each pot. Having a three light frame ready, placed on four bricks, I put about 10 inches of gravel over the surface of the ground under it, and on this I placed my pots, 10 inches apart. They require careful watering, or they are certain to suffer from the effects of over-watering or stagnation. I gave them air on all occasions, by tilting the lights back and front at night, and drawing them off entirely in the day. I was very particular in removing all decayed leaves every day, stirring the soil in the pots. In November, I endeavored to keep the plants as free from damp as possible, using little or no water in dull weather. About the first week in December, I removed part of my stock into the greenhouse, and placed them on a front shelf, near the glass, where it is warm and airy. By this mode of treatment, I have been able to ensure an abundance of flowers since Christmas, and shall continue to have an excellent supply for the next six weeks to come. I have cut 60 flowers from one pot at a time." We feel assured these few hints will not be lost on many of our

readers who may have adopted this beautiful plant. To such as have not, we say, begin. We think the pleasure of gathering violets of your own cultivation for three or four months consecutively will well repay the trifling trouble required. Many parties who are deprived of more extensive accommodation might ensure a very pretty supply of plants by such simple means as those recommended.-(Gard. Journ., 1849, p. 135.)

Pelargoniums for Exhibition.-Here is another race of Heaven's gifts, which almost defy man's boasted power of speech to describe. Admiration becomes so intense in contemplating their varied beauties, as to strike the most learned prattler dumb, nor is it till the eye becomes, as it were, accustomed to the gorgeous display, that the tongue does its duty in uttering its exclamation of surprise and pleasure, and the pen is made to perform its office in reporting to the world at large of the treasures Flora offers to our acceptance-more bright, more beautiful, than all the dross men would wear away their lives to accumulate in other lands, unblessed by such peaceful, health-giving evidences of our labor at home. Specimens of this tribe of plants now require much attention. Among the first cares, forming them into elegant shapes must be named. To this end, the branches should be strong, erect, of equal growth, and regularly disposed; if any vacancy appears, run a stake into the earth, and attach a branch to it from where they seem thick. This system will improve the general appearance of the plant, and, on the day of exhibition, many of the stakes may be drawn out; the few that are allowed to remain should be neatly arranged, so that the blooms might be viewed without the stakes being included in the exhibition, a matter of taste few persons are found to differ upon-a bundle of sticks being a very good thing in its way, but better in connection with a blazing fire at Christmas than part of an al fresco exhibition on a hot day in July. We may be singular in our opinions, but, such as they are, we fearlessly give them, and abide the consequence. Specimen plants require plenty of room, the side branches should not touch each other, a free current of air should be allowed to pass between them, they ought to be kept as near the glass as possible, and turned frequently, so that the whole of the plant may derive a benefit from the sun, light, and air; water them sufficiently to preserve the foliage from drooping, and give plenty of air whenever the weather will admit of it; a little gentle warmth is requisite occasionally, to keep out frost, and absorb damp. (Gard. Journ., 1849, p. 135.)

Campanula carpatica.-This desirable herbaceous plant grows rapidly, and may be readily increased at this season by division; the slips should be planted four inches apart in a bed of rich compost, well drained. In borders, plant in patches, consisting of five plants each. The above mode of culture must be adopted annually, in order to ensure success. My plants quickly cover the bed in which they are planted, producing a mass of blue flowers during the latter part of the summer and the whole of the autumn months. Its height, when in flower, is from one foot to eighteen inches. As seedpods appear, I remove them, in order to give strength to the plant, and to extend its season of blooming. If plants are not obtainable, a little

seed sown now in heat will produce flowering plants next autumn. There is also a white variety of this beautiful hardy plant.-(Gard. Chron., 1849, p. 214.)

Culture of Violets.-In compliance with your request that I should give you my method of growing violets, I beg to state that I am a kitchen gardener and florist, and that I can seldom allow violets to have the undivided occupation of any piece of ground. I plant them in April on a piece of land occupied with some other crop, such as horn carrots, cos lettuce, radishes, &c.; but the best associate which I have found for them is the Tripoli Onion, between each row of which I plant violets. The check which a crop of this kind gives the violet, provided the onions, &c., are not allowed to remain too long on the ground, benefits the violet.

After the onion crop is taken, I stir the ground between the violets with a hoe, and scatter a little short dung or some kind of manure over them; this is, however, not a plan which I would recommend. For parties who have not a ready sale for such things, the most advisable plan of culture is, to divide the old roots in April, and plant them six inches asunder, in rows twelve inches apart. In your last year's calendar, planting towards the end of summer is recommended; but I consider this practice to be quite wrong. Experience has taught me that they suceeed best when planted every year. When I allow them to remain two years, I cut the foliage off them with a reaping hook two or three times during the summer, and greatly to their advantage. My seedling, specimens of which I sent you, maintains its good properties; I found it in a row of seedling Russian violets.-(Gard. Chron., 1849, p. 214.)

Francisea Hopeana.-This charming plant, introduced from Brazil in 1826, has been grown here for a series of years, and I have found it admirably adapted for the embellishment of sitting-rooms during the months of winter and spring. Its flowers are large, powerfully fragrant and attractive, changing from a deep rich purple hue to an almost snowy whiteness; and, as this peculiar character is maintained for a lengthened period, its value for this description of decoration is considerably enhanced. It forms an excellent centre plant for round or octagon baskets, in which Chinese primulas or hyacinths are the principal objects employed, its pale green foliage relieving the dense masses of flowers such plants usually exhibit. Its cultivation here is an exceedingly simple matter, being grown in a very cool stove, in comparatively small pots, in a mixture of sandy peat and loam, the object in view being to obtain small compact plants, not to exceed two feet in height, in order that they may be readily transferable to vases or baskets, as circumstances may require. So soon as the plants have performed their functions of flowering, the shifting process is performed, using the knife freely alike to root and branches; all other attention is merely routine, save in the application of an occasional watering of liquid manure.-(Gard. Chron., 1849, p. 214.)

Chinese Winter Flowers.-On visiting some of the flower-shops in Shanghæ, in the middle of January, I was surprised to find a great many flowers which had been forced into bloom, and were now exposed for sale. I was