The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-11-05 00:00:00

MISCELLANEA

The following remarks from the Gardeners' Chronicle
are in unison with our article on winter flowering plants
last week, and cannot fail to interest our readers :
The importance of keeping up a succession of bloom
during winter and spring, is felt by every amateur whose
garden possesses a greenhouse ; and to point out such
plants as are of easy culture, and, at the same time, ac-
ceptable to a light purse, has been my object in many of
these papers. Epacrises now consist of numerous varie-
ties, of great diversity of colour and habit, and they are
all procurable at a small cost ; in fact, 20s. will purchase
a tolerably good collection. They form, when out of
bloom, interesting evergreen bushes. The foliage is sin-
gularly beautiful and diversified. The constitution of the
plant is hardy, resisting, without injury, several degrees
of frost. A great point in the management of the epacris, so
as to get a good bloom, is never to stop the young shoots
when in a growing state ; because it is chiefly upon these
that the flowers are produced. E. miniata, for example,
should be cut back after it has done blooming in sum-
mer; and when it begins to grow it should be repotted,
and the ball slightly reduced. When the operation of
potting is over, place it in a close frame, or pit, until it
is again in a growing state ; admit air by degrees, and
when fully hardened to enable it to sustain exposure,
place it in a shady position, such as the north side of a
hedge. Supply it with water, and occasionally, a little
liquid manure, so that the growth may be promoted with
all possible rapidity. Towards autumn, expose it to the
full sun, in outer that its wood may be perfectly ripened'

and the bloom-buds set. It should then, as winter app
proaches, be housed in a greenhouse ; and it permitted to
flower in that situation, few plants will present a more
lovely aspect. The beauty of this variety of Epacris wilt
greatly depend upon the absence of stakes. Allow it to
follow its natural growth ; to twist it into a wire hurdle is
to destroy its beauty completely. All the varieties of
the Epacris require little support, if properly managed,
and the fewer stakes seen i❑ the plant, the better. All
the varieties of the Epacris may be grown in good peat,
with a little silver sand mixed with it. In potting, take
care that the pots are effectually drained. The potting
season is whelp the plants have done flowering, when the
size of the plant should be reduced, as circumstances may
suggest. Phare. _ _ _

British Association for the Advancement of Science.—
In the Natural History Section, Dr. Hugh Cleghorrt
made a communication On the Grass. cloth (Chu Ina) of
India. He stated that several species of plants belonging
to the order Urticact re were employed in Hindostan for
the purpose of y elding fibres used in the manufacture of
texile fabrics. He exhibited several articles of dress very
white and light, which were made from the fibres of an
Urticaceous plant, the Bohmeria nivea, and known itt
India as Grass-cloth.—Dr. D. Maclagan inquired if the
fibres of this plant had been examined microscopically, as
he had found that on being used for rubbing the glasses of
optical instruments it scratched them. Should it become
generally used in this country, care must be taken to avoid
its application to delicate objects.—Mr. GDurlie, Glaszow,
stated that we knew very little of the raw material of many
of the fabrics from other parts of the world. We were
for a long time ignorant of the materials from which
Manilla handkerchiefs were made. It was said to be the
fibres of the bof of the Pine-apple, but we had not suc-
ceeded in manufacturing them in this country.—Dr.
Lankester remarked on the importance of an increase of
our knowledge of those forms of plants which were capa-
ble of yielding materials for manufacture. Although the
exhibition of raw materials had been deprecated by some
in the coming Exhibition of 1851, he believed that it
might be made one of the most important and valuable
features of the Exhibition.—Dr. Royle said that it had
been long doubtful what plant yielded the grass-cloth of
India, and now that we knew the plant. it would un-
doubtedly lead to its further employment. There were
many other fabrics in India of which we know nothing of
the materials. He thought that one of the most impor-
tant branches of the Exhibition of 1851, for the manu-
facturers of this country, was that of raw materials.
Every pains should be taken to obtain the name and his-
tory of every species of plant which yielded any substance
useful in the arts, manufactures, or medicine.

OPERATIONS FOR THE WEER

Stove, Conservatory, Sre.—This is a trying season for
plants under glass, for unless well looked after and judi-
ciously ventilated, they are apt to suffer seriously from
damp, indeed a drop of moisture will sometimes ruin a
plant entirely, especially any of the succulent species. It
is too mild for fire-heat and there is too little sun to cause
the evaporation of moisture with sufficient speediness to
prevent injury. It is therefore necessary in order to avoid
this evil to raise a brisk fire-beat occasionally, and at the
same time admit a free current of air. By this means the
damp will be expelled without rendering the plants tender.
In pits and frames where this is impracticable from the
absence of heating apparatus and flues, the sashes should
be tilted or removed upon every occasion that the weather
will permit.

Flower Garden.—Neatness and cleanliness is now the
only resort left to render this department attractive. The
fall of the leaf is now complete in most places, and a
thorough clearing up should take place, and the beds be
rough dug and left in that state to be mellowed by the

'rost. Tulips, crocusses, hyacinths, anemones, &c., may
De planted for spring decoration.

ANSWRRS TO CORRESPONDENTS

J. Roberts.—We have seen the manure called Buenos-
Ayrean guano ; it is composed of the refuse of the South
American shambles, and will possibly answer well for vine
borders, especially where the soil is heavy and tenacious.
H. Weston.—lf your choice Gladiolus roots are only
now pushin, up their flower scapes, it is plain they can-
not either perfect their flowers or ripen their corms, it will
therefore be best to raise them carefully and put them in
pots, and they will most likely bloom well in the con-
servatory.

Jas. Lister, Everton.—The Hlowing will be found
good selection of hyacinths they are intended for pot
culture, it is worth while to procure the proper hyacinth
pots, which are cylindrical in shape, and about nine
inches in depth ; they may be bad of any respectable
seedsman, either plain or in ornamental shapes. The
soil best suited to them is old fibrous loam, two parts
sharp clean sand, one part and well-rotted manure front
an old hot-bed, one part mix them well together, and
Pass through a riddle. For Blues: take Kroom Van
lndien. Le Lustre and Violet Fonce.—Reds: Groot Vorst,
Madam Zoutman, and Waterloo.—Whites : Couronne
Blanche, Nannette, and Don Gratuit.—Yellows: L )uisd 'or,
La Favorite, and Bouquet d'Orange. These are all early,
and very double. As simile ones are no less pleasing we also
give you ass I:ction of the same number.--Blues ; La plus
Noir, Pronkijuweel, and La Majestense.—Reds : Acteur,
Maria Dorothea, and Plaisir des Dames.— Whites: Madame
deTallyrand , Voltaire, and Grand Blanche Imperiale. Yel-
lows; Ophir, Chrysolora, and Pure d'Or.