evergreen in front, aud a row of spruce firs behind; the rich coloured berries appear beautiful.-R. N. Somerset.

HYACINTHS. (E. H. S.)-I should feel obliged by your opinion on the following subject in your next Number.

I have a lot of Hyacinths in pots, and many of them are throwing up offshoots. Ought I to remove them by cutting them off, or will they weaken the one bloom if allowed to remain. [The number of its blossoms is determined, and will expand (barring accident), but the larger development of the petals can be promoted by the greater supply of nutriment. If you retain the offsets, you expend upon them what otherwise employed would contribute to the increased size of the blossoms.]

PRESERVING DAHLIA ROOTS. (A Subscriber.)-After the frost cut off the foliage and flowers, I immediately cut the tops off to about four inches from the ground, and raised the roots a little with a fork to prevent them pushing shoots, and put a little soil over the roots. About a week afterwards I dug them up, placing them in the sun, taking them in. Two or three days after the weather became frosty and foggy, they were then put into a tub, covered with straw, and so remained; in a few days the weather becoming mild, I placed them in the sun as before; decay now appeared, and as they did not improve after a time they were put into a box in the kitchen, and now (January 2nd) all are dead.

I shall be glad to know where I have erred. Likewise give me the names of eighteen varieties of self-coloured and edged Dahlias that are good and constant. Also twelve of the fancy class. [Plant your Dahlias early in order to have the main stem well ripened at the early part of autumn. When frost is expected let the main stem be protected, with a cone of dry chaff, dry ashes, dust, chopped straw, or dry leaves, eight or more inches high, covering it with a sprinkling of soil to prevent it being blown away. This preserves the crown of the root from injury by frost. When soil only is heaped up around the stem, it often becomes wet, and a strong frost occurring, it tends to the main stem and crown of the root being damaged fatally, though it may not be fully apparent for some weeks after; the more unripe the main stem is, the greater its liability to be injured. As soon as the tops are destroyed by frost, cut them down, so that the main stem (with some of its side ones shortened) is left half a yard, or more, long from the crown of the root. Have the roots taken up at once, and if a small portion of soil adheres to them, let it remain. Remove the roots into a plant-house or pit, where there is a gentle heat, place the roots apart from each other, and get the stems dry as soon as can properly be done. In two or three weeks the tops may be cut off to about two or three inches from the crown. With such treatment we have not lost more than one out of an hundred roots during many successive years. We repeat plant early, get the main stem well hardened, preserve it from being operated upon by frost, and allow a long stem to remain at the first cutting of the tops, that there may be means for evapora. tion, and dry the stem in a plant structure where there is a gentle heat. Afterwards keep from frost and damp, and not a root will perish. List of names in our next.] TROPÆOLUM LOBBIANUM.-This beautiful Tropæolum is worthy of a place in every collection where plants are required for winter flowering. Out of all our collection of creepers, this is by far the most showy at this season of the year. I have ten fine specimen plants of it, which have been a complete mass of flowers ever since the middle of October last. As it does not produce seeds freely, it is advisable to propagate it by cuttings, which should be selected in June or early in July. I always place single cuttings in small pots filled with sand, and plunge them in a little bottom heat. As soon as they are well rooted, I pot them into 6-inch pots, and place them in the greenhouse. With proper treatment, they will be ready to receive their final shift into 12-inch pots about the end of August, using soil composed of equal portions of sandy loam and peat, with thoroughly-decomposed horse-manure and a quantity of good sharp sand, to keep the compost porous. After this final shift, I place a wire trellis to each plant, firmly securing it to the pot. They are then placed in the stove, and, as soon as the plants commence rapid growth, every shoot is carefully trained, so as to cover the trellis regularly over. By the end of September this is complete, and the plants will be showing hundreds of bright orange flowers. As soon as the blossoms fully expand, the plants may be removed to the conservatory or greenhouse, where they will continue to produce a succession of flowers for a long time.-S. T., Lichfield.—Gardeners' Chronicle.

VINNOJIVO

"Now hazel catkins, and the bursting buds

Of the fresh willow, whispered SPRING is coming;
And bullfinches forth flitting from the woods,
With their rich silver voices; and the humming
Of a new-waked bee that passed; and broods
Of ever-dancing gnats again consuming,

In pleasant sunlight, their re-given time;
And the germs swelling in the red shoots of the lime.

"All these were tell-tales of far brighter hours

That had been, and again were on their way;
The breaking forth of green things and of flowers
From earth's breast; from bank and quickening spray,
Dews, buds, and blossoms, and in woodland bowers,
Fragrant and fresh, full many a sweet bird's lay,
Sending abroad from the exultant spring,

To every living heart a gladsome welcoming."

"Not worlds on worlds in phalanx deep
Need we to prove a God is here;
The DAISY, too, fresh from winter's sleep,
Tells of His hand in lines as clear.

"For who but He who arch'd the skies,
And pours the day-spring's living flood,

Wondrous alike in all He tries,

Could rear the DAISY'S rosy bud?

H

"Mould its green cup, its wiry stem;
Its fringed border nicely spin,
And cut the gold-embossed gem

That, set in silver, gleams within?
"And fling it, unrestrain'd and free,

O'er hill, and dale, and desert sod,
That man, where'er he walks, may see
In every step, the stamp of God."

1. BEGONIA MARTIANA.

The entire tribe of Begonias is a very interesting one. Most of them are very free bloomers, and some of them have immense branching panicles of semi-transparent flowers. They bloom generally in winter and spring, and require to be cultivated in the stove, where they display their lovely delicate flowers, producing a charming appearance, more particularly so at the seasons when flowers are especially valuable. The species we have figured does not require the temperature of a hothouse, but flourishes and blooms freely when grown in the GREENHOUSE, or PIT-FRAME, where it forms a charming ornament ; and by potting, and starting plants in the hot-bed at successive times, it may be had in bloom all the year. It is a tuberous-rooted perennial, the top dying down after having done blooming: water must then be gradually lessened, to allow the roots to have a season of rest. It grows about two to two-and-a-half feet high, forming a neat plant, and is easy of cultivation. The blossoms are often larger than those from which our figure is taken, and are delicately handsome. It succeeds admirably, too, in a dwelling-room window, where, as well as in every greenhouse, it merits a place.

2. CAMPANULA VIDALLII.

This charming graceful flowering plant was discovered at Flores, one of the Azorean Islands, and seeds were sent to England in 1850. We first saw the plant in bloom in the establishment of Messrs. Osborn and Sons, of Fulham. It is a "half-shrubby" plant, which produces several branches, each of which rises about two feet high, terminating in a panicled-spike of fine drooping flowers, which are very ornamental. Its graceful habit and free-blooming character render it a very valuable plant for the flower-garden. It succeeds well, too, when grown in pots, and is ornamental for the greenhouse in summer. It is easy of cultivation, raised readily from seed, and thus a stock of young plants may be raised every year. It requires a little protection during winter, from the severest weather. It ought to be grown in every garden, contrasting beautifully with the rich colours of other flowers.

NOTES ON NEW OR RARE PLANTS.

ARAUCARIA COLUMNARIS. THE PILLARED.--(Synonymes, Dombeya columnaris; Araucaria Cookii.)—A native of New Caledonia, where Mr. Moore, of the Botanic Garden, Sydney, recently discovered