ed kinds, such as ericas or heaths, diosmas, &c., like a peat soil, with a good quantity of white sand well mixed; two or three inches of the surface of the soil from an old oak wood will answer the purpose very well. There are some persons that think there is a stated time for potting or shifting plants. This is an error. There never ought to be any particular time; it ought to depend a great deal on the state of health and growth. Some plants may require shifting twice or thrice a year; others but once; the best way to ascertain whether a plant should be shifted, is to turn it carefully out of the pot, and examine if the roots are matted about the sides and bottom of the ball, and if such is the case, the plants evidently require fresh potting. But it is not always necessary to put plants into pots or tubs larger than those they were taken from; if that were always done, they would soon get out of all bounds. The ball may, with propriety, be reduced, perhaps, to half or third its former bulk. In preparing pots, be sure to put a handful of potshreds, or bricks broken up small, in the bottom of each; then put as much soil as will raise the surface of the ball to within about an inch of the brim; then place the plant exactly in the centre, and with a small wedge-shaped stick, fill in the soil between the ball and the sides of the pot, being careful that no cavity is left; the soil should be filled to within half an inch of the brim of a middle sized pot; if a very large pot, an inch should be left for water; by no means heap the pot with soil, as is too often done, especially by the ladies. After the plants are potted, they should have a gentle watering, and be kept from the mid-day sun for two or three days.

Arranging the plants on the stages or in the windows. When a table is allotted for the plants, let it be placed as near the window as possible; place the smallest ones next to the glass, and so on with the second and third sizes, finishing with the tallest back, so that they may all have an equal share of the sun and air ;-by no means place them the reverse of the mode just mentioned. But some of your fair readers may observe, that the beauty of the plants will be hidden from their visiters, especially those who prefer show to the health of their plants. This inconvenience may be avoided by having small stages made to fit the windows, placing them on castors, that they may be turned so as to view the plants, or drawn back in a very hot sunshine. I should think there would be no lover of plants but would go to a trifling expense in order to have them look well. Observe to give air every day, except in very severe frosts.

The watering of the plants.-The following question has been often put to me,-How often should plants be watered? In answer to the question, I would observe, that there never ought

to be any stated time, but when they are in want of it; and that want they will generally make known themselves, by the drooping of their leaves; in hot weather, they should be looked over at least once, if not twice, a day, and at these times, only to water those that are in want of it. I am of the belief, that one half of parlor plants are killed or sickened either by withholding water, or making too frequent use of it; by the former, the plants will soon begin to lose their leaves, and by the latter, the soil will be kept saturated, and the roots become rotten, which must cause the death of the plants. There is another evil, practised by the ladies, which I will mention; that is, having the plants in saucers, and watering them at the roots; this is a practice that cannot be too strongly deprecated. The water ought always to be poured on the surface, so that the fibres may be all equally refreshed. I am aware that there are many persons who will not agree with me in deprecating the use of saucers, on account of the carpet and furniture; but let me observe that I have no objection to the use of saucers, provided they do not allow water to stand in them. Such plants, however, as the Agapánthus umbellàtus and Cálla æthiópica, &c., can never be injured, but, on the contrary, will be benefited by standing in water; and, at times, let the plants be taken out of doors and sprinkled over head, which greatly refreshes them, and takes the dust from the leaves. If any of the Cácteæ tribe are kept through the winter, they should not be watered; but after they begin to show their flower buds, they should have a very liberal supply; on no account keep them always damp.

Destroying insects that annoy plants.-The chief enemy is the green fly, which can be easily destroyed by placing the plants in a close room and fumigating them with tobacco smoke. Let the room be well filled with smoke for about half an hour, and their death will be the result. Myrtles, oranges, &c., are infected with a brown scaly insect, which cannot be destroyed by tobacco smoke. They must be washed, leaf by leaf, with a piece of sponge, dipped in a mixture of soap and water, impregnated with a little tobacco. The whole should be well mixed, and used a little Yours, ROBERT MURRAY,

warm.

Waltham, Nov. 27th, 1835.

The above communication we cannot too strongly recommend to the notice of those of our readers who cultivate plants in rooms, more particularly to our fair friends, who are desirous of preserving their plants in good health. We hope Mr. Murray will continue his remarks, and treat more minutely on several of the species and varieties which flourish best in such situations.-Conds.

ART. IV. Beautiful Plants growing wild in the Vicinity of Boston. By E. B. KENRICK, Watertown.

(Continued from Vol. I, page 458.)

All these plants are perennial, unless intimation is given to the contrary. Viola acuta Acute petaled Violet. This is our smallest native species. It is peculiarly distinguished by its acute petals, and the great length of its linear bractes. Stemless. Root creeping. Leaves smooth, ovate-lanceformed, with stems nearly winged. Flowers white. Petals oval, remarkably flat and acute, the odd one being widened at top, and streaked with purple at base.-Moderately moist soil. Cambridge.-May, June.

Viola palmata Palmate Violet. Stemless. Root denticulate, as if small teeth were strung together. Leaves pubescent, veiny, heart-shaped, hand-formed [with spreading fingers], or halbert-lobed, the lobes being indented, and the middle one much the largest. Flowers middle sized, fine purple, the two lateral petals having glandular beards.-Low grounds.-May.

Stemless. Root abrupt, as

Viola pedata Pedate Violet. if bitten off. The leaf is shaped like a bird's foot, having a central sedgment or leaf which is simple, and two lateral ones, which are compound. Flowers large. Petals pale purple, white or yellowish at the base, none of them either bearded or streaked.-Rocky hills, and dry woods.-May, June.

Viòla sagittàta Arrow-leaved Violet. Stemless. Leaves smooth, oblong, or ovate, heart-arrow-shaped, gashed at the base, bluntly serrate or saw-toothed, the lower teeth large, divergent, and giving the leaf a halberd appearance. Flowers inverted, middle sized, with dark purple petals, white at base, strongly bearded.-Cambridge.-May, June. Viola ovata Spade-leaved Violet. Stemless. Leaves hairy, or woolly, on both sides, crenate or scolloped on the edges, ovate, or shaped like the spade on a card, and sometimes cut at the base like the arrow-leaved violet; leaf stems margined or winged. Flowers middle sized, pale purple, very numerous.-Dry hills.-April, May.

Viòla cucullata Hood-leaved Violet. Stemless. Leaves strongly heart-shaped, somewhat kidney-formed, indented on the margin, rolled in at the base, so as to give them a hood-like appearance. The leaves are commonly much shorter than their stems. Flowers large, purple, the lateral petals stiffly bearded. This is the most common violet of our wet meadows and low grounds.-May.

Viòla débilis Spreading Violet. Stem weak, angular, branching below. Leaves reniform-cordate [or kidneyshaped and heart-shaped combined], upper ones indented on the rim, and ending in a sharpish point. Flowers pale purple, small, with stems longer than those of the leaves; the two lateral petals bearded inside.-Concord turnpike, Cambridge.-June.

Viòla pubescens Yellow Violet. Stem erect, leafy towards the top, and having long soft hairs. Leaves broad, heartshaped, indented on the margin. Petals yellow, streaked with dark purple.-Dry stony woods.-Found at Newton; likewise on the Concord turnpike, Cambridge.-June.

Dr. Eaton says, that Viòla pubescens varies much in height -usually from six to eight inches; but that he has found it twenty inches high; and that Dr. Solon Smith showed him. a specimen four feet high, which he found in New Hampshire.

Professor Nuttall informs us that, excepting the Viòla concolor, all the North American species of violets, after their blossoming season is over, produce flowers without petals, through the rest of the summer.

"According to Lightfoot, the Highland ladies of former times used the violet as a cosmetic, the old Gaelic receipt being, Anoint thy face with goats' milk in which violets have been infused, and there is not a young prince upon earth who will not be charmed with thy beauty.""

FLOWERING SHRUBS.

ANDROMEDA.

Andrómeda polyfòlia Water Andromeda. A most delicate shrub, from twelve to eighteen inches high. The leaves are slender, lance-formed, very short stemmed, smooth and veined above, convex, rolled outward at the margin; of an evergreen aspect, a fine bluish, or glaucous dark green above, and a pure bluish white beneath. Calyx white, in five divisions, tipped with red. Flowers round, pitcher-formed, five angled, pale flesh-colored; on short, terminal, nodding stems, divided, or subdivided.-Wet, mossy bogs. Edges of Hammond's Pond, east part of Newton.-Blossoms in May.

ARONIA.

Arònia batrydpium L. Pyrus batrydpium Wood Pear, June Berry. This plant is sometimes taken for a pear tree, which it resembles. Occasionally, it forms a small tree; but blossoms profusely, and bears fruit, when a yard or two high. The leaves, when first expanded, are lanceolate, and covered with a silky down; but when mature, they are hairless on

both sides, oblong-oval, sometimes heart-shaped, finely and sharply toothed, and have a long_acute point. Calyx with five segments, downy within. Petals five, grass-formed, broadest towards the tip. Blossoms white, growing on racemes, or branching stems, from four to seven flowered. Fruit dark purple, pear-shaped, of the size of a medium cherry; eatable, resembling the whortleberry in taste, and ripening in June.-Woods, Newton, Brookline, &c.—May. AZALEA.

Azalea lappónica L. Rhododendron lappónica Mountain Honeysuckle. A beautiful, low, alpine shrub, resembling the rhododendron. Leaves evergreen, leathery, oblongoval, standing disorderly, roughened above with small white pits, the under surface paler, and dotted with black. Calyx and flower stems red, covered with light green glands; segments of the calyx ovate, eyelashed. Corolla deep purple, bell-shaped, with four oblong, obtuse divisions. Flowers large, in terminal, and rather umbel-shaped clusters.-High mountains; White mountains, N. H.-Blossoms in July.

Azalea nudiflora L. Naked Azalea. An exceedingly beautiful shrub, from two to six feet high. Leaves oblong-lanceformed, nearly smooth, green, of the same color on both sides, having the margin fringed with parallel hairs, and the midrib bristly beneath. Calyx teeth short, somewhat rounded. Corolla red, with a tube longer than the divisions, and stamens much protruded. Flowers somewhat naked, but not viscous; arranged in terminal clusters.

A variety, coccinea, has scarlet flowers, and lanceolate leaves. Another, rùtelans, has deep red flowers, and a ininute calyx. Another variety, cárnea, has pale red flowers, with red bases, and a leafy calyx. Another, álba, has white flowers, and a medium calyx. Another yet, papilionàcea, has red flowers, with the lower divisions white, and calyx white. And another, polyándria, has rose-colored flowers, with from ten to twenty stamens.-Woods and copses; Worcester, Princeton, Dougas, &c.; perhaps, also, in or near Waltham. -May or June.

Azalea viscosa Wild Honeysuckle, Swamp Pink. A fine flowering shrub, from four to eight feet high, very common among the brush-wood in low land. The small branches and the flower stems are more or less bristly. Leaves crowded, inverted lance-egg formed, acutely tipped, smooth and green on both sides, eyelashed, hairy on the midrib, and nearly without indentures on the margin. Corollas funnel-shaped, varying in color, but commonly white; hairy and glutinous on the outside. Flowers sweet, spicy-scented, in terminal, umbel-like corymbs, or flattish topped clusters.-Wet woods.June, July.