ter. About the beginning of July, they will be about five or six feet high, and coming into bloom. They may then be placed in the greenhouse or conservatory, where they will continue in flower for a long time.

When the plants are done flowering, they may be taken from the greenhouse, and placed in any airy situation to ripen their wood. When cold weather sets in, keep them dry and free from frost until they show signs of starting into growth.

As soon as the buds begin to swell, they must be repotted. Shake the old soil clean away from the roots; cut the stems down to within six or eight inches of the root; put them in pots as small as you can get the roots in without chafing them; place them in a gentle bottom heat, if you have it; if not, place them in a warm part of the greenhouse, and treat them as before recommended. It must be borne in mind, that these plants should always be repotted before they start into growth, but they ought to be cut down a fortnight before you wish to pot them. Clerodendrons are easily propagated either by seeds or cuttings; the latter method is generally adopted, as some of the species are shy in producing seeds. Cuttings of the old wood, after the plant is cut down for spring potting, will root freely, but cuttings from the young wood make the best plants. They will strike quickly in a bottom heat; when they are rooted, pot them off, and treat them as old plants.

New Haven, April 30th, 1849.

ART. V. On the Culture of the Daphne Odora. From the Gardener's Chronicle. With Remarks by the EDITOR.

FEW plants have more attractive qualities than the Dáphne odòra. Beautiful in its foliage, and deliciously fragrant in its pretty umbels of white flowers,-blooming, too, at a season when there are but few such flowering plants, it has unusual claims upon the care and attention of the amateur cultivator. Like many other plants, it is of simple management when once its habits are well known. Yet it is not often seen in very good condition, and this neglect in its cul33

VOL. XV.-NO. VI.

ture has contributed to render it less sought after than many other less beautiful plants. Our correspondent, Mr. J. W. Russel, who was a most successful grower of the daphne, contributed an article in our first volume, (I. p. 296,) upon its cultivation; but so long a time has elapsed, and as many of our present readers may have never read his excellent paper, we copy with pleasure the following article from the Gardener's Chronicle, being more full and complete than any thing we have lately read upon the same subject. With good judgment, no amateur cultivator can fail to raise fine specimens of this fragrant and popular plant.-Ed.

"The great anxiety manifested nowadays for the possession of plants that are called new is, I fear, producing, in many instances, the effect of pushing aside some of our old plants, with which very many of the new ones are not to be compared. Without affecting to despise novelties, or to be indifferent to subjects of the most recent introduction, I am anxious to call attention to some old and valuable, but comparatively neglected plants.

One of this description, I believe, is the Daphne odora, whose claims on our notice, in point of usefulness, are perhaps second to none. Flowering at a time when flowers are so much wanted to enliven our conservatories, or for decorating the drawing-room, renders a good stock of it a great acquisition. I am aware that many plants might easily be enumerated, with whose gaudy appearance this is not to be set in competition; but, among all the winter flowering plants with which I am acquainted, I could not point out another that would more amply repay the labors of the cultivator. And yet, if you go into any place where the introduction of new plants is much attended to, the chances are you do not see it at all; and, if you do, instead of it occupying the prominent place it deserves, you will generally find it pushed into some out of the way corner of the greenhouse, as if it were an object totally unworthy of our care or attention. In such situations, its appearance is just what might be expected from such unkind treatment-a few sickly-looking leaves on the top of long straggling branches, and looking altogether as if it would say, "Give me air or I shall die." But under the influence of more generous treatment, how different its aspect—

round bushy plants, with branches covered with foliage of a healthy dark green, and exhibiting fine trusses of highly fragrant flowers during the most dreary part of the year, from the end of October till the middle of February; and, be it remembered, without any forcing, except the protection afforded by a cool greenhouse.

To those who would encourage the cultivation of this fine old plant, I would (in the absence of any thing better,) recommend the following simple mode of management as having succeeded tolerably well at this place. As soon as the plants have done flowering, remove them to a cold pit. Vinery not at work, greenhouse, or any other structure, where they can be placed in such a manner that they shall not be shaded or crowded by taller plants. In general, those which have been standing in the drawing-room will have suffered, in some degree, from the dry close atmosphere; more especially if they have been allowed to remain there for any length of time after having done flowering, because, at that time, they commence growing, and the young shoots, from want of light and air, will be drawn up weak and long-jointed. This ought to be prevented by removing them before all the flowers have quite fallen off. If the plants were properly attended to the previous summer, and the points of the shoots pinched out where the plant wanted filling up, it is not advisable, at this period, to resort to pruning or cutting back; as young shoots spring in abundance immediately below where the flowers were produced, and always flower much better than shoots out of older wood. But, in special cases, when plants have, from neglect, been allowed to run up with naked stems, cutting them down to within six inches of the pot is, perhaps, the best way of reclaiming them. As this Daphne does not make very large roots, it has, therefore, the very desirable property of being capable of thriving in pots comparatively small for the size of the plant. Yet it is necessary, about the end of March or beginning of April, to ascertain if any of them require shifting, which, if properly executed, will be quite sufficient till the next spring. Old plants, however, which it is not desirable to increase much in size, will do well for two, and sometimes three years, without shifting. The soil I have found to suit them best is a mixture of light

turfy loam, sandy peat, and well decomposed leaf-mould, in about equal quantities, together with what is indispensable to success under any circumstances a thorough drainage, to ensure a free passage for the escape of superfluous water.

After having been shifted and arranged, it will be better to keep them for a short time a little closer than usual, till the roots begin to lay hold of the fresh soil; and most particularly to guard against over-watering, till the roots have found their way to the sides of the pots, otherwise the soil will become sodden, and the roots perish in consequence. As a general rule at this stage, no more water ought to be given than just sufficient to keep the plants from flagging. They will nevertheless be very much assisted by being gently syringed mornings and evenings. About the end of May or beginning of June, the plants which were shifted in the spring may be supposed to be again well established in their pots, and growing freely; if so, occasional waterings of weak liquid manure will very much encourage a healthy action, and enable them to form large trusses of flowers in autumn. But to old plants, with their pots pretty full of roots, liquid manure may be applied with advantage from the time they commence growing. Or what answers a very good purpose is, a good mulching of half decomposed cow or sheep's dung, through which all the water applied to the plants must pass, and consequently carrying with it a certain portion of the fertilizing properties of the dung to the roots; and, by preventing evaporation in some degree, will so much encourage the roots nearest the surface, that the dung, at the end of a few weeks, will generally be found matted by them.

A practice prevails with some gardeners of placing their Daphnes out of doors, with other greenhouse plants, during summer. But, unless the means be at hand of protecting them from the direct rays of the sun on the hottest days of summer, and heavy drenching rains in autumn, no advantage will be gained by adopting such a course: as they will be found to succeed much better in a pit, where shading can be easily applied when necessary, taking the lights off in the evening to give the plants the benefit of the night dews, and putting them on again in the morning, before the sun gets too powerful; admitting plenty of air during the day, to make the plants stiff and short-jointed.

If, in hot dry weather, red spider should make its appearance upon the leaves, let them be well syringed with clean water, applied with considerable force early in the afternoon; shutting them up close for the night, to keep a moist atmosphere about them; repeating the operation for several days in succession, and that pest will soon disappear.

By a little attention in summer, their flowering season may be very much prolonged. This is to be effected by setting aside some plants, and giving them only a partial supply of water for about six weeks, which will check rapid growth, promote the ripening process, and act on them, in some measure, as a season of rest. Then induce them, by giving copious waterings of weak liquid manure, to make another growth in autumn, thereby causing their flowering points to be formed at a much later period than they otherwise would have been. Plants treated in this way will not commence flowering generally till some time in January, instead of the usual season, November.

The Daphne odora is easily propagated by cuttings in February, planted in sandy peat, and placed in a gentle bottom heat, with a close, humid atmosphere. The cuttings I have found to make the best plants are the tops of last year's shoots which have flowered during the winter; allowing that portion where the truss of flowers had dropt from to remain on the top of the cutting, which, from the number of buds formed close together around that place, will generally break from three to six young shoots; thereby laying the foundation of a fine, handsome, bushy plant. Good plants may also be obtained by grafting on the Spurge Laurel, (Daphne Laureola,) and placing them, till a union takes place, in a similar situation to that recommended for cuttings.

If any remark I have made in this paper be the means, in the most remote degree, of drawing the attention of those who have the convenience at command of doing justice to this neglected plant, my object will be fully accomplished. Planted out in the border of a conservatory, orangery, or camellia house, it would be quite at home, and be an object of considerable interest during the whole winter; and prove invaluable to those who require nosegays at that dull season."