and are generally fit for sale in two years, if placed in good soil. A man accustomed to grafting can do from nine to twelve hundred a day very easily, and tie his own strings. Weak growing kinds generally grow stout and remarkably straight by this plan, and as it can be done in the winter, when nothing else of consequence can be done, there is a great saving of time.

In the spring, the boxes should be taken out of the cellar, and placed in some frames, pits, or the greenhouse, to start them into growth: or, if none of these are at hand, place them out of doors in a warm situation, as it is necessary to start them two or three inches before planting out; they will not be injured if you do not plant them out till the middle of May. Such has been my practice of root-grafting, and, if properly done, it will never fail to succeed.

Flushing, L. I., June, 1847.

ART. V. On the Propagation of Stove and Greenhouse Exotics in a Series of Letters. By JAMES KENNEDY, Gardener to S. T. JONES, Staten Island, New York.

LETTER III. Propagation by Offsets.

THIS is the mode by which bulbous and tuberous rooted plants are propagated. They are, however, sometimes increased by seed, but being so much longer than offsets in reaching a flowering state occasions this mode to be but seldom resorted to.

There are some kinds, however, from which I would prefer propagation by seed. Of these, the amaryllis, of which there are many varieties. I have found hybrids to be much preferable, as they often surpass the originals in beauty, and invariably flower more freely under good management.

In a situation I had the honor of filling as head gardener, in England, about eight miles from London, I succeeded in obtaining some beautiful hybrids by transferring the pollen from Amaryllis Johnsonii to A. reticulàta, from reticulata to vittàta, from fúlgida to vittàta, from fúlgida to Johnsonii, and

from Johnson to equéstris,-the seed, as soon as ripe, should be collected, sown in pots, thoroughly drained, and placed in a hotbed, where they should be regularly shaded, when necessary, and watered sparingly. Under this treatment, they will vegetate quickly, and, when two leaves are produced, they should be potted off separately into thumb-pots, well drained, as above remarked.

Care must be taken not to pot them deep, but to have the young bulbs level with the surface of the mould, and, when potted, give as much water as will reach the bottom of the soil. They should then be placed in the hotbed for a few days, and regularly shaded from the sun. When the bulbs recede from the surface, they should have a shift into pots a size larger, and so on during the summer, until they are thoroughly rooted. By this treatment, many of them will flower abundantly the following spring. I should have mentioned that they require regular supplies of water, but not too much. The following compost I have found exactly to suit:-Three parts light turfy loam, two parts white sharp sand, and one part turfy peat; along with which treatment, an occasional watering with clear liquid manure would not, by any means, do injury.

The bulbous genera generally, such as the Gladiolus, Moræ'a, Ixia, Antholyza, &c. &c. should, when done flowering, be allowed to dry till the following October. This is the time for increasing by offsets, as then they are in a dormant state, and will not receive any injury in separating them from the parent. Nor will the parent's flowering principle receive any check for the coming season. Small pots thoroughly drained, and a compost composed of equal parts rich mellow loam, peat earth, leaf mould, and sand, with the addition of a little cow manure, will be found exactly suitable. After potting, let them be placed in a cool frame, when the only attention required is protection from heavy rain and frosts. No moisture should be given further than the soil in which they are potted furnishes, until the pots are full of roots, when they should be shifted into pots a size larger, using the compost above directed. They should then be taken into the greenhouse, where many of the largest of them will flower if kept regularly watered.

Staten Island, N. Y., June, 1847.

ART. VI. Floricultural and Botanical Notices of New and Beautiful Plants figured in Foreign Periodicals; with Descriptions of those recently introduced to, or originated in, American Gardens.

Achimenes pàtens.-This new and beautiful species, which has been figured in the Journal of the London Horticultural Society, and pronounced one of the most beautiful of all that have yet been introduced, is now finely in flower in our collection. It is a fine species, having a compact and neat habit, with small, deep-green, shining foliage, and flowers of the richest violet hue, about the size of A. grandiffòra, and fringed at the edge of the corolla.

Platycodon grandiflòrum-a most beautiful campanulaceous plant is now coming into flower. It is represented as the most showy of all the campanulas, to which genus it has been stated to belong, under the name of C. grandiflò

rum.

Hydrangea japónica has been one of the most popular and generally admired plants in our collection. Our engraving, at p. 123, gives a fine representation of its habit of growth and bloom. Its great attraction consists in the contrast between the outer flowers and the inner ones, the former being large and white, while the latter are small and of a deep blue. It is of the simplest cultivation, and must become an indispensable addition to every collection of plants.

10. DAPHNE FORTU NI Lindl. Mr. Fortune's Daphne, (Ericàcea).

A half hardy shrub; growing two to three feet high; with lilac blossoms; appearing in spring; a native of China; increased by cuttings and grafting; cultivated in peat and loam. Journal of Hort. Soc. Vol. II. p. 34.

This "charming shrub" is one of Mr. Fortune's discoveries in China, where it was found growing in a nursery garden near Shanghae, in the winter of 1843. Being deciduous, it was then leafless, but, as it was taken to the south of China, to be shipped with the other plants, the warmth forced it into bloom, and it proved to be a fine shrub. The next spring, Mr. Fortune found it growing wild on the hills in the province of Chek iang, where it forms a dwarf shrub two to three feet high. In March and April, the flower-buds expand, and then

the whole of the hill sides are tinged with its beautiful lilac colored blossoms, and have a very gay appearance. It flowered in England for the first time, in the spring of 1846, and, as yet, it is extremely rare. Mr. Fortune states that it grows freely in a loamy, well-drained soil, and that it is readily increased by cuttings. The Chinese name is Nu-lan-ee, and the bark, like the mezereon, is acrid and poisonous. In England, it has been treated as a half-hardy shrub, but as it is found growing where the thermometer falls to within a few degrees of zero, it may prove hardy in our dry and cool winters. Mr. Fortune remarks that, whether hardy or not, "it will always be a favorite amongst spring flowers in the greenhouse, where it richly merits a place in every collection. (Hort. Soc. Journal, 1847).

11. AZALEA OBTU SA Lindl. Obtuse-leaved azalea. (Ericacea).

A half-hardy shrab; growing two to three feet high; with blush-colored flowers; appearing in spring; a native of China; increased by cuttings; cultivated in peat and loam. Journal of Hort. Soc. Vol. II. p. 127.

"A distinct species" of the azalea, which Mr. Fortune found growing on the sides of the green tea hills in the province of Chekiang, and also on some of the islands of the Chusan Archipelago, where it is called the "silver silk flower," by the northern Chinese. There are two varieties, both of which have been introduced, one with flowers of a rich white color; the other pink, and both are beautifully dotted with dark spots on the under petals. The corolla in form is nearly round, and not unlike Rhododendrum chamæcistus, or a finely-shaped pelargonium, in appearance. Its flowers are produced in great profusion in the months of April and May. The habit of the plant is compact and neat, and it is altogether a fine addition to this beautiful family. It is increased like other azaleas, and grown in similar soil. (Hort. Soc. Journal, 1847).

12. CAME'LLIA JAPONICA var. Comte de Paris. The Compte de Paris's Camellia, (Ternstromidcea).

A new and beautiful variety of the camellia, which was obtained from a plant of the Duchesse d'Orleans in the collection of M. Van Ghiersdale of Ghent. A single branch having sported in color, it was inarched or grafted on a good stock,

and the sport thus retained. It differs from the Duchesse d'Orleans, in having the ground color rose striped with red, while the parent is white striped with rose. The flower is finely imbricated and perfect, and the variety must rank as one of the finest which has been produced. (Flore des Serres et des Jardins de L'Europe, 1846).

13. TORE NIA ASIA'TICA L. Asiatic Torenia, (Schrophulariacea).

An annual plant; growing two feet high; with blue and purple flowers; a native of India; increased by seeds; cultivated in any good soil. Flore des Serres, &c., Vol. II. pl. 157. 1846.

A new and most beautiful annual, cultivated in a similar manner to the petunia, growing about two feet high, and producing beautiful sky blue flowers, finely marked with a large spot of deep purple on each petal. The plant is of a diffuse habit, with ovate leaves, and terminated with numerous flowers. It is easily raised from seed, and is a great acquisition to our gardens. (Flore des Serres, &c.)

14. FUNKIA GRANDIFLO`RA Sieb. & Zucc. Large-flowered Funkia. (Liliacea).

A greenhouse plant; growing two feet high; with white flowers; appearing in summer; a native of Japan; increased by division of the root; cultivated in any good soil. Flore des Serres, &c., vol. II. pl. 158. 1846.

This is stated to be one of the most splendid plants introduced by Siebold from Japan. It flowered for the first time in Belgium, in the garden of the Horticultural Society des Pays Bas, in July, 1846. Its general appearance is the same as the other species, but it throws up a fine stem, which is clothed with flowers of the purest white. Its cultivation is the same as the other species. It will probably stand in the open ground as well as the F. japónica, but the situation. should be well drained. It is readily increased by division of the roots. (Flore des Serres, &c., 1846).

15. RIBES GORDONIA NUM, (Garden hybrid.) Mr. Gordon's Currant, (Ribesiaceœ).

A hardy shrub ; growing two feet high; with salmon-colored flowers; appearing in June; a garden hybrid; increased by layers. Flore des Serres, &c. Vol. II pl. 165. 1847.

A new and beautiful flowering currant produced in Belgium, between the R. sanguineum and aúreum; the flowers are produced in the same form as the first named, but the calyx is red, and the corolla yellow; it is probably as hardy as the aureum, and will be a splendid shrub for our gardens. (Flore des Serres, &c., Nov. 1846).