if planted deeper for the sake of appearance. Young plants the sooner removed the better after out of the seed leaf, provided the weather be favorable. Seeds will keep several years with care, with some exceptions. The China Aster will not keep well over one year; the vitality of most, if kept dry, will germinate in due season, unless the weather should be such as to place it beyond the control of the amateur; but his assiduity will do much in assisting nature in her developments.

MANURING AND POTTING.

There appears to be a great diversity of opinion on the subject of manuring; to point out the existing difference would only perplex the amateur in his operations in floriculture; indeed, it would take an experienced chemist to elucidate the subject thoroughly. The word manure is generally applied to what is taken from stables, whethor horse or cow excrements, mixed with straw and other litter; such is not always the case. Manure, in gardening, is meant to convey the idea to enrich and fertilize the soil in the garden; still it must be observed what is food for one kind of soil is not so for another; therefore there is a great difference in manure. If the soil be a marl then the application of sand would constitute a manure to make it friable, that is, suitable to receive plants. There are other kinds that would make the soil useful, which none but a chemist can tell by analyzing it. Horse and cow manures

are good stimulants for the growth of plants in common garden soil, but in no case should it be used unless three years old, or your soil will be filled with weeds. To manure a garden will require some judgment; to manure the same soil every season is as bad as no manure at all; changing the crop is preferable, as some seed will deteriorate more than others; for instance the Rocket Larkspur never ought to be sown in the same bed two seasons in succession. It will frequently happen by over manuring the garden the soil becomes black, and many suppose the soil extremely rich when it is the reverse; so much manure being laid on the soil the water becomes saturated in the soil as to make it so sterile that plants cannot exist in it. When such is

the case it will be necessary to use lime as a manure to counteract the humic acid contained in the soil, caused by the superfluous use of the stable manure. Manure from the stable should never be used with lime, as one destroys the effect of the other, nor until it has been regularly fermented.

Stable manure is required more plentifully for pot culture, as the frequent watering of the plants in pots will naturally wash the substance from the plants; the frequent watering of pot plants also makes it indispensible to shift the soil often; this is termed repotting which is performed once or twice a year, and the best time to effect this is spring and fall, and the best soil for that purpose is a maiden soil. This is a term used by gardeners, and can be obtained from the commons or old meadows by taking off the turf, then dig three or four inches below; this will consti tute maiden soil, and if inclined to clay add a small portion of sand.

Some plants require a richer soil than others; when that

is the case the addition of old cow manure will do. Different locations will make a difference in soil, also in growth of plants; and in potting plants where you find the soil stiff and binding, always add sand to correct that fault. There are different soils used by gardeners, such as peat earth, a vegetable matter decayed, and can be passed through a sieve. Peat bog is such as generally is found in swamps. Sandy loam is loam with a portion of sand in it, and is what is mostly used for general culture. Sandy soil is effected by adding more sand to the sandy loam. Vegetable mould is decayed vegetables and weeds collected in the garden, and thrown in a heap to rot for three years. Garden mould or loam is such as does not contain any sand. Clay soil is not good unless you mix different manures to make it friable, and then not good for pot plants. Leaf mould is composed entirely of decayed leaves, and when mixed with sand is a most excellent soil for pot culture.

In potting plants it is essential in all cases to have a good drainage by placing one inch (much depends on the size of the pot) of pieces of broken pots or small pieces of brick at the bottom to prevent any deleterious effects to the plants if over-watered. In potting plants never over-pot, that is, never place a plant in a pot that is too large; a small pot will force more flowers from a plant than a large one. It frequently occurs in pot plants that roots and suckers wili rise from the soil, run some distance and root again. It must not be infered that this arises from the plant being in too small a pot; for instance the Achimenes and Chrysan. themum. The general supposition is, the soil being deteriorated the roots rise to seek nourishment, and when it is attained will strike root again. We have an every day oc

currence of this in the garden rose, which, if allowed to remain in one place many years, will shove their suckers some distance; the original tree for want of nourishment, the soil being exhausted, will perish; and so it will be found with pot plants if the soil be not changed by some chemical process, and that generally is effected by manure. When the soil is congenial to plants the nutricious sap accumulates, and the plant grows vigorously so long as there remains a sufficiency of food in the soil; but when exhausted we find the plant using its functions to escape from its deleterious soil if that be impossible, and if not repotted the consequence will be death, for the leaves cannot imbibe the gases of the surrounding atmosphere when the roots are sickly, as the one is dependent on the other.

CUTTINGS, &C.

This is an easy way of propagating the different varieties of our fine and most beautiful species of plants that decorate the parlor. There are different methods of striking cuttings, and different seasons that are more congenial for that accomplishment. It is not material which way the object. be obtained so long as the ultimatum be gained. Some propagators will adhere to the system they have found successful. However, as my object is to instruct the young amateur, I will not discuss this or that system, but exhibit to their comprehension as simple a plan as possible, although not a new one. It will be found in experience that succu,

lent plants are the most easy to strike root; the harder the wood the more difficult. In striking cuttings one thing must be adhered to, as much depends on the manner of preparing the cuttings; for unless cut close to the joint there is not much dependence to be placed in the success of the undertaking, for the bud that you cut close to, when inserted in the soil, attracts fluid which it feeds on; this elongates downward and becomes roots, for it is necessary by nature it should be so before the plant can be established; thus making a perfect plant, the same as the parent from which the cutting was taken. As the roots become set, the cutting sends forth branches, then the root and leaf become mutually dependent upon each other for support and life. The time of taking cuttings is from early spring till fall; different plants require their proper time for propagation; for instance, the best month for the Rose is June, when the young wood is sufficiently ripe; herbaceous plants as soon as done flowering, though for some it will be necessary to take their flower stems before developing the flowers. It would occupy too much space to specify the proper time for all the varieties; but each treatise of this work will exhibit enough for any beginner to commence with, leaving the balance to his own experience.

The best way to strike cuttings of hard wooded shrubs is to procure a box or pan about twelve inches across and the same in depth; then get another about four inches without a hole in the bottom, which may be easily obtained of a potter ; placing part of a brick in the larger to keep the smaller one on a level with it in the centre, then fill the vacancy with fine leaf mould and sand in equal parts, well incorporated; this done, insert the cuttings up to the second joint, close to