THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 147 



quite sufficient, unless a succession is required, but I would advise 

 the amateur not to trouble about suceessiooal batches, for in deco- 

 rating the conservatory there is nothing like having a regular change 

 of plants. There are two ways of beginning ; one is to sow the 

 seed in the pots in which the plants are to bloom, and the other is 

 to sow in a pan or box, and prick the plants off as soon as they 

 have two pairs of leaves. I can recommend the latter plan as being 

 the best, for there is not much likelihood of the soil becoming sour 

 before the plants are big enough to make a good start. Sow the 

 seed rather thin, and when the plants are of the size mentioned, fill 

 a sufficient number of five-inch pots with a nice light compost of 

 loam and leaf-mould, or loam and manure. First of all, put a layer 

 of crocks in the bottom, over these a layer of moss, leaf-mould, or 

 the roughest part of the compost, and then fill to within half an inch 

 of the rim, pressing it rather firm. Make the surface level, and 

 prick out the plants regularly at the rate of ten. or twelve in each 

 pot, sprinkle them lightly as each pot is filled, and place in a frame 

 where they can be shaded for a few days during bright sunshine, 

 and kept rather close until established. The shading must not be 

 used a day longer than is really necessary, and air must be admitted 

 freely as soon as the plants are established sufiiciently to bear the 

 exposure without flagging. From this stage until they come into 

 bloom it will be simply necessary to keep them near the glass, 

 supply liberally with water, and ventilate freely. When 'about six 

 inches in height, put three stakes round the outside of each pot, and 

 as the plants progress in height, they can be most efiectually sup- 

 ported with a few strands of bast. 



CONSERYATOEY DRAC^NAS. 



BT JOHN BUELET, T.E.H.S., 

 Hereford Road Nursery, E ays water, W. 



JN" the Floral World for March last, I had the pleasure 

 of offering a few remarks on the selection and cultiva- 

 tion of palms suitable for furnishing conservatories and 

 sitting-rooms, and I am glad to learn that they were much 

 appreciated. From the letters which have reached me 

 from subscribers, it also appears that many readers would be glad of 

 information on the cultivation of other classes of fine foliage plants 

 suitable for the conservatory. Accordingly, I have prepared a few 

 notes on the Dracsenas, which stand next in importance to the palms, 

 and I shall, perhaps, have something to say about other fine foliage 

 plants in the course of the season. 



Of late years I have been frequently asked the question by my 

 patrons who have seen Dracaenas and other fine foliage plants on the 

 continent, why they are not more generally used for decorative pur- 

 poses in this country. Why, indeed, because it is the prevailing 

 idea amongst most plant-growers that foliage plants of all kinds 

 require stove-heat to grow them, and that it would be certain 



May. 



