DECEMBER

Continue opening the roots, and cutting down the branches of Bussorah, and other roses for late flowering.  Prune, and thin out also the China and Persian roses, as well as the Many-flowered rose, if not done last month.  Train carefully all climbing and twining shrubs.

Weed beds of annuals, and thin out, where necessary.  Sow Nepolitan, and other fine descriptions of Larkspur, as well as all other annuals for a late show.  Dahlias are now blooming in perfection, and should be closely watched that every side-bud, or more than one on each stalk may be cut off close, with a pair of scissors to secure full, distinctly colored, and handsome flowers.

[For further instructions respecting the culture of flowers in India I must refer my readers to the late Mr. Speede’s works, where they will find a great deal of useful information not only respecting the flower-garden, but the kitchen-garden and the orchard.]

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MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

THE TREE-MIGNONETTE.—­This plant does not appear to be a distinct variety, for the common mignonette, properly trained becomes shrubby.  It may be propagated by either seed or cuttings.  When it has put forth four leaves or is about an inch high, take it from the bed and put it by itself into a moderate sized pot.  As it advances in growth, carefully pick off all the side shoots, leaving the leaf at the base of each shoot to assist the growth of the plant.  When it has reached a foot in height it will show flower.  But every flower must be nipped off carefully.  Support the stem with a stick to make it grow straight.  Even when it has attained its proper height of two feet again cut off the bloom for a few days.

It is said that Miss Mitford, the admired authoress, was the first to discover that the common mignonette could be induced to adopt tree-like habits.  The experiment has been tried in India, but it has sometimes failed from its being made at the wrong season.  The seed should be sown at the end of the rains.

GRAFTING.—­Take care to unite exactly the inner bark of the scion with the inner bark of the stock in order to facilitate the free course of the sap.  Almost any scion will take to almost any sort of tree or plant provided there be a resemblance in their barks.  The Chinese are fond of making fantastic experiments in grafting and sometimes succeed in the most heterogeneous combinations, such as grafting flowers upon fruit trees.  Plants growing near each other can sometimes be grafted by the roots, or on the living root of a tree cut down another tree can be grafted.  The scions are those shoots which united with the stock form the graft.  It is desirable that the sap of the stock should be in brisk and healthy motion at the time of grafting.  The graft should be surrounded with good stiff clay with a little horse or cow manure in it and a portion of cut hay.  Mix the materials with a little water and then beat them up with a stick until the compound is quite ductile.  When applied it may be bandaged with a cloth.  The best season for grafting in India is the rains.