Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-09-26
Management of Flowers.

making the contrast as Striking as possible.
The surface of the whole should be as even
"a practicable wi b f-w of the most con
spiruous for shape and beauty protruding
abage the mass which will much improve
the general appearance, and greatly add to
the effect Ia winter they will do in dark
part of the house where other plants vii
not grow, taking care to have the most ten
der kinds in the warmest part, aud giving
gentle wateriugs every three or foar weeks.
When all are arranged give thsm proper
syriuging. after which see that the apart
ment has, in every respect, neat, clean aud
becoming appearance.
l. t the watering now he given in the
mornings. as often and in such quantities as
will supply their respective wants, examining
all the plants every day. During the cOntin-
uance of mild weather. the circulation Of air
must be Ak free as possible, opening the doors
aud the front and top sashes, regularly, over
the house; they are. however, always to be
kept closely shut during frosty nights. All
insects and d"cayed leaves should be remov-
ed. Any of the lagerstrsmia, sterculia, by
drangea, pomegranate, and other plants
equally hardy, that are deciduous, may be
kept in a perfect condition in a dry, light,
airy cellar; frequent admissions of air
should be allowed in such case, aud one or
| two waterings during winter.
THE GALA AND CYCLAMEN.
OF the different varieties or species of the
Gala, the one most worthy of cultivation,
and which is universally admired for the pu-
rity as well as the singularity of its large,
white flowers, is what is commonly known as
the Ethiopian lily The roots, which are
tubers, should be entirely Invested of the soil
they have been grown in, breaking, off any
small Offsets. and potting them wholly in
fresh earth. Wben growing, they can bard
ly get too much water; and it is probably
owing to the neglect of this point. that SO
many fail of success in growing this plant.
The cyclamen is humble plant, with very
beautiful flowers. The bulbs are round, fat
tened aud solid being peculiarly adapted for
pots aud the decorating OF rooms. Of the
different varieties. the coum has leaves quite
round, light red flowers, and is in bloom
from January to April; the persicum flowers
from January to April color white, aud some
white and purple; there is a white variety
which flowers from September to December;
the curoposIm. of lilac color, blooms from
August to October; the neapolitanum has
red flowers, blooming from July to Srptem-
Der. These are all desirable plants. When
| the foliage begins to decay, Withhold the ac-
customed supplies of water, keeping them in
| a half dry state; and when growing they
must not be watered too freely. as they are
apt to rot from moisture. Keep them during
tue summer months il partial shade. The
when the crown of the bulb begins to pro-
trude. If the pots are becoming large every
alternate year they may be cleared from the
| old soil and put into smaller pots with the
crown entirely above the ground.
EVERGREEN cLIMsERs.
OF the various evergreen climbers, the
solandra grandifiora haI long been favor
lite. The cuttings are of very easy prOpaga
tion roofing readily in moist heat, after bav-
ing struck root. A good plan is to select
some of the finest plants, and put them sing
ly into small pots, in rich light soil; this
method will cause them to flourish very free
ly, running with one stem somewhat similar
to the young shoot of vine.
The following spring the plants may be
put into larger pots, and If cut down to wi b.
in eighteen inches of the pot, will in short
time send ont a number of shoots from the
sides Of the stem; If afterwards kept rather
dry they will flower the following spring on
the ends of tue branches, producing large
| and snowy flowers. When the flower buds
make their appearance let the plant be wat
cred rather freely, with view TO making it
throw out au abundance of towering shoots
| tor the next season. When these shoots grow
more than Two or three inches in length wal er
| is to be withheld, and any of the shoots that
may have run longer than the others are to
| be cut back to two or three inches long to
make them produce more towering branches
| for the next year. If left uncut. there will
| be luxuriance of growth, but few hJwers,
| even though watered regularly.
THE TUBERDsE.
eIn the culture of the tuberOse, the best
| soil is a compost of two parts light loan aud
one of decayed manure. with a small quaint
| ty of sand The bulbs are to be prepared by
| taking off all the loose rind and superf1uOus
offsets, or side bulbs, care being taken not to
iniure the principal one. The pots must be
well drained, then filled with the compost,
| and well shaken down, but not pressed with
| the hands; little sand must be placed IN the
middle of the top of the compost, and the
| bulb must be pressed gently. though firmly,
down with the sand, to within a quarter of
| an inch of the top of the bulb. After the
| bulbs are potted. it is a good practice to
| plunge them in Q hOt-bed, letting them re-
| main until they have grown to the height of
| three or four inches; they must be kept quite
| close until they begin to vegetate, when a
| little air may be admitted; they should be
| shaded when the sun is powerful, and cover
| ed up with mats at night. Water is to be
supplied quite spaiingly when they are in
| this situation, for the steam arising from the
| bed answers iu a great measure the purpose
| of water. When they have grown 30 the
| height above stated allow them plentiful
supply of air a ID water, setting them IN a
| place where they will have plenty OF light
or they will be apt to draw up weakly. As
| they advance in growth, tie them carefully
up to suitable sticks. six or seven feet long,
| we'll rounded at the bottom, care being taken
| not TO tie them too tight or else their stems
will become ilI-shapen and crooked aud they
| will flower weakly. Here let them remain
| till they are in flower: when they Can be re-
moved to the conservatory or other apart
| ment, where they will, by their beauty an
| fragrance, add much to the collection.
RoCK-woRK IN PLEASURE GROUNDS
The rules to be observed in designing and
| constructing rock-wOrk in pleasure grounds
are quite simple. Having at hand plenty of
| large, rough stones. broken bricks, or stony
| ru bbish of any kind or color, proceed with
| these to initiate the form of natural rock as
| nearly as possible. Rough, bold, angular
projections and deeply formed chasms are the
| principal features in natural scenery which
/ please the eye most. a rock. with fat uu-
/ broken surface. whether horizontal or per-
| pendicular, presents too much sameness to be
| pleasing to the eye; and, therefore, in imita-
| ting nature, the projections should be varied
and bold. and unless ruggedness and intrica-
| cy form principal features in its composition,
| il will lose much of it's effect. If the rock
| work be on large scale. it should not be
| one continued line. but broken at intervals
| in one part lost beneath the surface of the
earth, aud again rising in another part and
resuming its sinuous form. i
When every stone has been arranged to
suit the eye, the iuterstices between them are
to be filled up with any kind of rough NOR
tar. OF course assures, and similar places
| Intended for the plants which are to cover
| the rock, must be left open, 80 that the roots
| may penetrate to the soil beneath the stones.
| The next operation is to daub the whole
mass over with Roman cement. For this
purpose the latter should be mixed with Wa
ter until it is of the consistence of thick
paint, in which state il may be applied to the