Year: 1862

FlOWerlng Plants for January.


So much has already been said and writ
ten upon the subject of Horticulture that one
would almost be driven to tho inevitable con-
clusion that nothing remained untold not
withstanding which, there are many new ex-
periments brought into requisition by the
most learned and scientific horiculturist
without knowing that any useful or practi.
cable benefit would result from them, or the
science of Horticulture would, in the most
pleasing and happy results, have crowned
those experiments. will, for an ilustra-
tion, and to show how rapid the science has
advanced, direct the attention of the reader
to the almost incredible improvement in the
Rose and Camelia. 1 am credibly advised
that when either of these flowers were first
discovered in the country in which they are
indigenous, and in their primeval state, that
they were either entirely single or semi
double. AT present, in the hands of expert
enced cultivators, it is scarcely necessary
for me to attempt to direct the attention to
the great improvement to which they
have attained. This is one of the great
and growing Improvements of this pro.
gressive age. There is another essential
improvement they are susceptible Of which
can be effected by crossing one variety
with another, and one which has pro.
duced many and diversified flowers of
much merit and beauty, which PROBABLY
would never have been the case had it not
been for the experimental inclination to
which man is impeled by the very impulses
OF his nature and education. And we NAV
nationally conclude that at this stage of
society, Experiment and its handmaid. I'm
provementJhave not attained to their climax
of perfection, and that this interesting and
absorbing art of flower. growing NAV Vet he
greatly improved. l would commend to the
attention of all engaged in the culture of
towering plants who can make it con nvenient
to do so, to cross varieties, and to grout seed
liDgs. The art of crossing, if understood is
by no means difficult. 1t is done by remov-
irg the pollen from one flower, and placing
it on the pistle of the other, which may be
done by using small pencil made of cameFs
hair. In order to impart to the reader a
more pefuite idea of the pollen and pistil I
will quote from "Blair's Universal Precep
tor" he says, THE pistil is provided at its
head with gummy NATTER and the stamen
with fine dust called pollen, and when the
dust falls on the head of the pistil, it is there
absorbed and carried down the style of the
pistil to germen or seed. vessel in the CEN
ter of the flower, or pericarp." Presuming
that you have followed previousi Instructions,
L will now give directions for the present
month.


The CdnaeliG Japonica decidedly
beautiful and interesting family of plants will
now be in full bloom, if they have been prop
erly taken care of-imparting to its Dossessor
ineffable delight, from the great beauty and
unequaled elegance of its rich and beautiful
vsriegsted flowers, possessing almost all the
diversified shades and hues of color that the
most vivid imagination can conceive, to the
richness and beauty of which its pure
and elegant green foliage contributes no
small portion of interest, beauty, variety aud
contrast, making the Camelia stand almost
unrivaled in the whole family of Towering
plants. The temperature of the room in
which the Camelia is kept should range from
45o to 60o, and in no event whatever should
be allowed to fall below 400; if permitted to
fall below this point, the buds will be almost
certain to fall off, by which means all the
beauty and interest of your plants will be
lost, and your agreeable anticipations of
pleasure defeated. In warming with fire
heat, it will be best, if it can be- done, to
admit the heat from an adjoining room; if
that is impracticable, you must heat it by
means of fire made in the same room in
which the plants are kept, and as soon as
you discover the temperature falling below
45o, to 4O0, you must be prompt in averting
the impending rnin to your flowers by i'm
mediately resorting to the use Of artificial or
| fire heat. If fire heat is used to regu-
late the temperature of the roem,
| you must be careful to admit free aud
| plentiful circulation of air, upon every ia
vorable opportunity, as, without a free cir
culation of air, or in tight, confined room,
| not ventilated, an unhealthy condition of
| the Camelia will be certain to be induced,
confined air being very prejudicial to them.
| Sponge the foliage frequently, for the pur
| pose of rendering them clean and neat, and
| imparting additional beauty to its rich dra-
| perry of green leaves, being very carefal,
both in sponging the foliage and irrigating
the plant, not to permit the water to drop
upon or touch the expanded petals, as that
| would cause them to decay. II
| During the Towering season the Camelia
should have plenty of water, taking the in
dspensible precaution, above given, to
avoid letting it touch the buds. The spong-
ing process has also the ssutary effect of
expelling the red spider, an insect so troub.
lesome to plants, During the time your Ca
meias are in blossom, their appearance will
be much improved by being carefully tied





the pots, and extending to the full altitude
of the plant, by means of which an erect con-
dition of the plant is secured, aud the flow
ers show to much more advantage. 1t also
prevents the flowers from dropping, which
they are disposed to do without something
to support them. Bulbous rooted plants,
that are either growing, or such as are com.
ing into bloom, require great quantity OF
light, without which they can never be
brought to considerable perfection of bloom;
and it is by the free admission of light only
| that a maturation of their foliage or their
flowers can be attained.


During the period for Towering the Hya.
cinth, Narcissus, 'onquill, Tulip, Lachenalis
and many others, may be allowed to stand in
saucers filed with water, changing the
water occasionally, say once or twice week
When bulbs are placed near the light care
must be taken to turn the pots or glasses
frequently, to prevent them growing to one
side and becoming crooked and unsightly
When any of the leaves indicate any appear
ance of decay, be careful to diVest the plant
of them at once There are great variety
of parlor plants not particularized, and from
the endless diversity of the great family o
flowers, can not be enumerated in q com
munication Of this kind, that require the un
renting attention Of the amateur. SomC
requiring q large quantity of water, anC
many others scarcely any at all; and as
general system of management 10 be relie(
upon, plants that are growing at this season
or any other, require portion of water, ant
such as are not vegetating require little o