148 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



that large plants are wanted quickly ; otherwise they can be brought 

 into the greenhouse as soon as they are established in the pots in 

 which they were put when removed from the seed-bed. The pots in 

 which the plants are grown should be quite clean and well drained. 

 The preparation consists in placing one large piece of crock over the 

 hole in the bottom, then a layer of rather large broken crocks, and 

 over that a few smaller ones, and finally some pieces of rough fibry 

 stuif, to prevent the fine portion of the soil from running down 

 amongst the drainage, and choking it up, thereby preventing it pro- 

 perly carrying ofi" the water. This question of drainage is not con- 

 sidered of such importance as it really is ; and I consider that fifty 

 per cent, of the failures in plant-growing could be traced to the want 

 of effective means for carrying away quickly the superfluous mois- 

 ture applied to the roots. No plants require a more strict observance 

 of this rule than the palms, if fine, healthy specimens are desired, 

 although they might not be killed so soon as some of the New Hol- 

 land plants. The soil should consist of good fibry loam, used lumpy ; 

 close, compact soil is of no use whatever, and plenty of sand must 

 be added. "When the plants are growing, it will be found to be 

 advantageous to use a little lumpy peat, to keep the mass more open, 

 and enable the young roots to run more readily in quest of nourish- 

 ment. The soil should be pressed firm with the potting-stick, and 

 the plants should have a liberal shift at each potting, to render fre- 

 quent shifting unnecessary ; for these plants do best when disturbed 

 at the roots as little as possible. The balls of soil must not be broken 

 about, or the plants disrooted ; but it will be necessary to disentangle 

 a few of the roots round the outside with a small blunt stick, to 

 enable them to strike readily into the fresh soil. It is advisable to 

 give the plants an increase of a few degrees of warmth after they 

 are potted, and also water must be applied cautiously, until the 

 roots begin to feel the sides of their pots. Early in the spring is 

 the best time for performing this operation, just before they com- 

 mence the season's growth, and then there is no farther check to 

 their progress. These cultural directions will apply to both classes. 

 Those that require a stove for their successful cultivation, and those 

 that grow in a temperate house, require the same kind of treatment ; 

 but, of course, the remarks respecting the increase of temperature 

 when fresh potted, and the keeping young plants in heat, naturally 

 enough apply to the " cool" kinds only ; the stove kinds require 

 more heat in all their stages and conditions. 



Tempeeatl'ee. — To settle this point off hand, I should say the 

 heat of an ordinary stove will suit one class or division, and that of 

 an ordinary greenhouse will answer for the other. But then that 

 would be speaking too wide, for one scarcely knows at what tempera- 

 ture the one ends and the other begins ; for some people grow what 

 are known as cool stove plants, whilst others have those termed 

 warm greenhouse plants, which merges the two, as it were, into one. 

 Therefore, to make everything as clear as possible, and to prevent 

 any doubt arising, I will say that the stove species should have from 

 70' to 80' of heat from the commencement of the new growth until 

 it; is completed, or say from March until September ; and from that 



