THE FLORIST. 61 



ticm of the future bush. As soon as the plants are well established 

 in their pots, shift them into a size larger ; 9-inch pots will be suffi- 

 cient, if large plants are not desired. Towards the end of May, or 

 as soon after that period as your dread of frosts and cold nights 

 has left you, prepare the plants for a place out of doors ; if they 

 can be plunged in a sheltered border, exposed to the sun, they 

 will require little further attention except staking, and turning 

 round the pots, to prevent their roots from getting into the soil in 

 which they are plunged. Stopping must, however, be attended to, 

 in order to make dwarf, handsome plants ; but this must not be prac- 

 tised after the middle of August, except flowering can be assisted 

 by placing the plants in a close house. About the middle or latter 

 end of September, remove them to the warm end of a greenhouse 

 or pit, in which they will soon be clothed in the richest scarlet, and 

 will prove well worth the little trouble they have cost you. If they 

 are supplied with manure -water during their flowering season, the 

 latter will be considerably prolonged. 



I have said nothing about securing a succession of bloom ; never- 

 theless this ought to be attended to. For this purpose it is simply 

 necessary to select a portion of the plants, and to pinch out the ends 

 of the snoots just as they are shewing flower, which, with the treat- 

 ment I have recommended, will be early in September. Another 

 portion may be stopped a month, or even two, later ; but this must 

 depend upon the treatment which it will then be possible to give 

 them. By means of dividing my plants into three lots, I secure a 

 succession of bloom from October to March ; but my second and 

 third lots of plants have the assistance of a close greenhouse during 

 the summer and autumn ; or even something warmer, if it is found 

 necessary to bring them into flower at a certain time. The amateur 

 will find a season's practice the best guide in this part of his manage- 

 ment. When they are done flowering, save one plant, and keep it 

 without water until it shews symptoms of dryness ; it may then be 

 cut back, and kept in any spare corner until the time for making 

 cuttings draws near. If it can be placed in a rather warm atmo- 

 sphere, it will soon furnish abundance of young wood, which must 

 be treated as stated above. In a comfortable place under glass, and 

 with plenty of pot-room, &c, this plant attains the size of five feet 

 high, and as much through ; and in November is covered with scarlet 

 from the edge of the pot upwards ; but, of course, such large plants 

 would not suit an amateur. 



This plant would doubtless produce its flowers in the window of 

 comfortable sitting-room ; but for this purpose I do not recommend 

 it, as it is apt to become drawn in the absence of direct solar light, 

 have said nothing about soil ; but it will be found not to be par- 

 ticular in this respect. I use sandy loam and thoroughly decom- 

 posed cow- dung, in about equal portions ; but if small plants are 

 wanted, use light, poor soil. 



Attington, Oct. 15. Henry Greton. 



