( niNESK CHIiySANTHKMUiM. 437 



• 



may frequently bo kept in blossom mitil Christ- 

 mas, and for this purpose we recommend large 

 plants that send up several tall stems, and appear 

 like flowering shrubs ; these necessarily require 

 pots of a proportionable size, and rather broad 

 than deep. 



Those who wish to excel in the size of the 

 flowers, cannot do better than to follow the plan 

 which the Chinese adopt in their mode of culti- 

 vating this charming flower. 



During the early part of May they take cut- 

 tings of the plants about five inches in length, 

 which they plant in a shady situation, covering 

 them with a hand-glass until they have taken 

 root, when air is admitted to strengthen the 

 plants ; and as soon as they are well rooted they 

 are planted separately into small pots, and the 

 pots plunged into a border of earth in an open 

 situation ; here they require frequent watering 

 unless the weather is showery. About the end 

 of August or the beginning of September, the 

 plants are shifted into larger pots, and a rich 

 mould given them. They are continued in the 

 open air, but not plunged in the earth, and have 

 frequent nourishment given them by means of a 

 rich liquid manure, such as may be taken from 

 the drainage of a sewer, stable, or cow-house, 

 mixed soap-suds, and similar matters ; and when 



