With, perhaps, the exception of Calceolarias, the greater part of these are in general struck in heat by gardeners; and where there is plenty of pit room to gradually prepare them for the winter after they are struck, and houses to keep them in afterwards, this is a very good plan; but when they are to be kept through the whole winter in pits or frames, plants struck in heat are much more liable to damp-off than plants struck without any heat. This class of "bedding" plants, excepting Calceolarias, are not so much employed in decorating the parterre as it some few years since was, owing to the great improvement in "bedding" Geraniums, and their extensive use. Still many of them are very useful, and we cannot yet do without them.

Cuttings of all these, except Calceolarias, may be put in any time from the beginning of the present month till the middle of September. They should be prepared in the usual way, by taking the two bottom leaves off, and cutting them at the joint, and they may be put into pots, pans, boxes, or anything that will hold about 3 inches deep of light sandy soil.

When the cuttings are put in they should be watered with a fine rose, and should the be placed in a pit or frame, and not too far from the glass. If the pit or frame has a north aspect so much the better, and if near a north wall no shading will be required.

All the atention that will be needed is to water as the cuttings may require it, to put the lights on during the day, giving no more air than is absolutely necessary, and taking the lights off every evening that the cuttings may be moistened with the genial and refreshing dews, which, in general, are deposited during the night at this season of the year. Attention to the taking off the lights every evening is of the greatest importance.

As soon as the cuttings will bear full exposure to the atmosphere during the day without flagging, the lights should remain off during the day as well as during the night. The cuttings will then require no further attention than watering when necessary.

Cutings treated in this way will be a little longer in striking than cuttings in heat; but, long before the autumn, they will have made abundance of roots, and will be stiff firm plants, in a good condition to stand over the winter. They may remain in these pits or frames with the lights off, and exposed to the rains until the end of Octoer, except in case a severe frost should set in.

They should not remain after this time, in a north aspect; the frames should be removed to a warm sheltered situation, and be fully exposed to the sun.

The whole of the cutting pots should then be placed in them. After this they will require considerable attention, especially in giving an abundance of air at every favourable opportunity, in watering only when necessary, and in covering up well during frosty weather. By these means they may be safely wintered without losing many of them.

In March the whole should be potted-off and placed in pits or frames under glass, if there be plenty of such accommodation; if not, they will do nearly as well (being inured to a low temperature), if planted in a lightish, rather sandy soil, in a turf pit, over which mats or canvass may be placed during bad weather and at nights.

Though they may not appear to make much progress for some time at top in a rude contrivance of this description, they will soon begin to root freely into the fresh soil; and as the weather gets warmer they will begin to grow at top, and by the time for "bedding" out arrives they will be grand stuff. They can then be easily removed with large balls to the flower garden without receiving the least check.

Claceolarias may be struck in this way; but as they do better by being put in rather later, and as they are more largely grown for beds and borders than some of the other things, it is best to keep them in pits or frames by themselves. Cuttings of Calceolarias do best if put in any time during Ocotber, before they are the least injured by the frost. Instead of putting the cuttings in pans or boxes (although they do well this way), it is better to prepare a frame or frames specially for them. Some people make a slight hotbed of fermenting material, and on it place the frames, putting a few inches of sandy soil in for the cuttings; but I prefer placing the frames on the common soil of the garden, or the hard ground, in a convenient sheltered situation, where they are exposed to the south; then putting about 4 inches deep of soil on the ground, and on this about one inch deep of river or silver sand. In this I insert the cuttings about 3 inches apart, and after all are got in I give them a gentle watering from a fine rose.

The lights should be taken off at nights until there is danger to be apprehended from frost, that the cuttings may have the benefit of the dews; but at first they should be put on during the day, until the cuttings will stand the exposure without flagging very much . The principal points to be attended to during the winter are giving air abundantly on all occasions when it can be given with safety, giving water only when absolutely necessary, and covering well up in frosty weather. If the cuttings are kept dry the coverings may remain on for two or three weeks during severe frosts without their suffering; but after a long frost the plants should not have too much air given for some time, unless the weather be very mild indeed.

By attention to these matters few, if any, of the cuttings will go off during the winter. Towards the end of March the whole of the plants should be transplanted into temporary pits, if nothing better can be had, using a light sandy soil , and planting them about 6 inches apart. When planted the whole should receive a good watering, and, if there are any spare lights to cover them with, they should be kept rather close for a few days, but if there be no lights, then they must be protected with mats, canvass, or tiffany, which should be kept on during the night, and only removed for a short time during the middle of the day, until the plants get established, and the weather warmer, when they may be more exposed during the day.

When they begin to grow they should be stopped back, to make them good bushy plants; but his operation should not be repeated after this time, as it would make them late in flowering. They should be well watered when they require it, and it should be done in the forenoon. If protected from frost they will make fine, healthy, bushy plants by the middle of May, when they can be transplanted with large balls into the flower-beds or ribbon-borders, where they will soon make a display.

There is no better way of preparing Calceolarias for the flower garden, and it has the advantages of being attended with little labour or expense, and can be adopted even with the most limited means. There is also a great advantage in keeping Verbenas, &c., in cold frames, even in places where there is plenty of house room, as they require less watering, are much less troubled with green fly, and make stronger and stiffer plants, and, by their being kept in frames, allow the room which they occupy in the house to be given to the "bedding" Geraniums, many of which require a little heat, particularly the variegated kinds.

Stourton.

M. Saul