178 THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



and potting. This must be done carefully, and the plants kept 

 rather close for a week or so, to preA r ent their receiving a check, and 

 losing any part of the foliage. 



With the aid of a warm cuphoard, or other contrivance, that 

 can be kept at a temperature of not less than 45°, a very good col- 

 lection of Caladiums may be grown. Winter is the most trying 

 time, for if the corms are kept moist, or in a temperature below 

 that advised above, they will assuredly rot and become useless. We 

 want a large number of small leaves, therefore several corms must 

 be put in each five or six-inch pots. Good loam, peat, and leaf- 

 mould, in the proportion of two parts of the first to one each of the 

 two last, and mixed with a sixth part of sand, will grow them 

 capitally. The compost must be used in a rough lumpy condition. 

 The corms should be covered with half an inch of soil, and no water 

 applied until the young growth is about an inch above the surface. 

 The compost must be neither too dry nor too wet, and means should 

 be taken to prevent its drying up, by covering the surface of the 

 soil with an inch of leaf-mould. To start the corms into growtb 

 quickly, plunge the pots in the bed until the roots have taken 

 possession of the new soil. As the leaves begin to unfold, bring the 

 plants near the glass to keep the leaf-stalks as short as possible ; 

 but shade from the sun to prevent the leaves getting injured. 

 These can be brought into the greenhouse at the same time as the 

 Achimenes, and like them, require a warm shady corner free from 

 draughts. Water freely when in the frame, but be very careful in 

 its administration afterwards ; it should have the chill taken off at 

 all times. 



Directly the beat begins to decline in the autumn, lessen the 

 supply of water, and gradually dry off, so that the soil may be quite 

 dry by the time the foliage is gone. Particular attention is necessary 

 upon this point, for if the soil is moist when the foliage has died 

 down, the certain loss of the corms can be anticipated. When the 

 foliage is dried completely off, shake out the corms and bury them 

 in sand, in either small pots, boxes, or paper-bags. Where people 

 have the convenience of a stove, it is much the best to keep the 

 corms in the pots in which they were grown, until the spring 

 potting. 



There are heaps of good things that can be grown in a green- 

 house altogether, but I shall not touch them now ; my object at this 

 moment being to show small growers, with few conveniences, how to 

 manage a few of the choice subjects that are commonly supposed 

 to require a stove for their accommodation. To grow large speci- 

 mens, of all but the Solanums, a stove is necessary ; there need, 

 however, be no difficulty in growing all to a proper size for table 

 decoration, with the aid of an ordinary hotbed and a greenhouse, 

 by the treatment pointed out in the course of the foregoing 

 remarks. 



