38 THE FLORIST. 



little bottom-heat. When the sun shines, I shade it for four or live 

 hours during mid -day ; and after the cuttings have been in for three 

 or four days, I pull off the light for ten or twelve minutes every 

 morning, in order to allow the confined air and damp to escape. 

 As soon as they are rooted, I pot them off into 3-inch pots, in a 

 mixture of equal parts silver-sand and leaf-mould. I prefer that 

 mixture for the winter potting, for, being light and porous, it allows 

 the water to pass off quickly. When potted off, they are replaced 

 in the frame or pit ; and as soon as they become established, I re* 

 move them to a warm and shady part of the greenhouse ; after har- 

 dening there for a week or two., they are moved to a more airy part 

 of" the house, where they remain until January, when they receive a 

 little artificial heat, say from 40° to 50° during day, and from 40° 

 to 45° during night. 



When the roots make a fresh start, I shift them, some into 

 5-inch pots, and some into a size larger, according to the strength 

 of the plants, using a mixture of equal parts silver- sand, turfy peat, 

 and leaf- mould. In February they should have from 50° to 60° of 

 heat during daytime, and from 40° to 50° during night. As the day 

 lengthens, I increase the day temperature to from 60° to 70°, the night 

 heat being about 5° less, maintaining a moist atmosphere at all times, 

 with air both day and night when convenient. The plants should be 

 kept as near the glass as possible, and should be shaded during bright 

 sunshine. If they do well, they will require shifting about once in five 

 or six weeks ; and before the operation, the mould about the roots 

 should be rather dry than wet. After they are shifted, give a good 

 watering, and replace them in their old situation, keeping them close 

 for a day or two. In shifting, be careful not to break the ball ; for if 

 that is done, it is a long time before the plants recover, and then it is 

 ten to one if ever they make fine specimens. 



In potting, I drain well, and place some moss {Sphagnum) over 

 the crocks, then some of the roughest of the compost, which (after 

 the January shift) consists of one part silver-sand, two parts turfy 

 or fibry peat, and one part dry cow- dung, all well mixed together 

 with the spade, and used without sifting. When I resided near 

 London, I used mould from Wimbledon Common with as good suc- 

 cess as the above mixture, but as yet I have found no such mould 

 to equal that in this locality. As the season advances, I pot rather 

 firmly ; and I find it a very good plan to put some of the moss on 

 the top of the soil ; when potted, the roots seem quite at home in 

 it, and it prevents the mould from being washed over the pot. 



I use rain-water both for the soil and for sprinkling the plants 

 overhead with. In the latter operation I am guided by the weather, 

 and in the former by the wants of the plant. I also water about 

 once a week with manure-water not over strong. I train on the 

 single-stem system, allowing them to branch out right and left, never 

 pinching the side-shoots back, except when one seems to take the 

 lead of the others. By following these directions, I am certain every 

 success will attend your labours. 



J. M. PlERREMONT. 



