As Points of Culture and Management in Hot-houses, we have seen reason for recommending the application of the principle of giving all plants a winter, or period of rest, once a year, at the time when they are, from habit or circumstances, in the most dormant state, instead of keeping them, pine-apples and bulbs more especially, continually growing. The best dormant season for pine plants is during the three winter months, unless for such as are intended to come into fruit, or to ripen their fruit, at that season. The best season for ornamental plants in pots is when they have done flowering, or perfecting their seeds, if they should produce any. We have not time to apply this principle; but a little reflection will convince every thinking gardener that it is one of the most important which can enter into his consideration, for the flowering and consequent fruiting of all plants, and especially of plants in houses or in pots. The great success of the best pine-growers depends materially on the application of this principle; and not less so, the admirable manner in which epiphytes are flowered by Mr. Perrin, gardener to Richard Harrison, Esq., at Oakland Cottage, who is deeply impressed with its importance. Succulents, heaths, and camellias, flowered by other gardeners celebrated for growing these plants, may be referred to as farther illustrations. The practice of high potting in the culture of heaths, and other hair-rooted and wirv-wooded Cape shrubs, was, we believe, first introduced by Mr. Macnab of the Edinburgh botanic garden. It has been adopted with admirable success by Mr. Bow, at Lower Broughton, near Manchester, one of the very best cultivators of heaths in England; it is also practised in the botanic gardens of Manchester and Liverpool; and it is one of those improvements so unquestionably advantageous, that there can be no excuse for not adopting it every where, but that of never having heard of it. The rationale of the practice is, that moisture, being retained round the base of the stem, rots it; though constant moisture in or among the fibres is found necessary for the growth of the plant. By potting high, the base of the stem is always above the level of the rim of the pot, and can never, therefore, be inundated with water; while the fibres at the extremity of the base, being below the level of the rim, receive the moisture and retain it. Planting bulbs above the soil, instead of planting them under it, is another practice not yet generally known; but which ought, with many bulbs, to be generally adopted. The reason is, the bulb (we do not speak of some descriptions of tubers) is nothing more than a bud; and, provided the roots have a secure hold of the soil, and the climate be such as not to injure the bulb, it will expand in size, and increase by offsets, better, when not compressed by the soil, than when under its pressure. The roots, also, being nearer the surface, do their office under more favourable circumstances in regard to heat and air, and will, consequently, mature the leaves of the plants sooner. Plants in the open air cannot always be treated exactly in this way; but, by planting them in a raised drill in winter or spring, or earthing them up during winter, the soil may be removed from the bulb when the weather permits, and the advantages will be found in its rapid increase and speedy maturation. This may be easily proved with onions, shallots, hyacinths, tulips, Narcissi, and even Gladioli and Ixiï¾µ.
