290 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



a desirable system, excepting for trade growers. The most important 

 points in connection with striking the cuttings are to select mode- 

 rately vigorous shoots — firm, without being hard — and insert them 

 round the outside of five-inch pots — say four cuttings in each. Put 

 two or three inches of crocks in the bottom of the pot, and fill 

 the remaining space to within half an inch of the surface with 

 equal parts peat and loam, and a liberal proportion of silver sand. 

 This must be pressed in firm, and a layer of sand placed on the 

 surface, sufficiently deep to be level with the rim of the pot. Plunge 

 the pots in a brisk bottom-heat of about 75°, until the cuttings are 

 struck, and then take up and pot singly into 60's. If convenient, 

 partly plunge the pots in the bed again, and leave them until the 

 roots begin to reach the sides of the pots, and then lift them out, 

 and stand upon the surface of the bed, or upon a shelf close to the 

 glass, without being too much exposed to the sun. It is not 

 desirable to let them get pot-bound at this stage, therefore shift 

 into six-inch pots immediately the pots are nicely filled with roots, 

 and again into nine-inch pots as soon as it becomes necessary. Only 

 strong plants, obtained from cuttings struck early in the spring, will 

 require shifting into the last-mentioned size. As the main object 

 the first year is to obtain a foundation upon which to build specimens 

 in succeeding years, stop the young shoots three or four times 

 during the season ; but no stopping must be practised after the 

 middle of August, because there wdll not be time for the wood pro- 

 duced after that period to get well matured and hard before the 

 v inter commences. 



A temperature between 70° and 80' will be the most suitable 

 during the growing season ; and a liberal supply of moisture at the 

 roots, in combination with a moist atmosphere, and a syringe over- 

 head twice a day, are also essential features in their management. 

 At the same time sufficient air must be admitted to keep the wood 

 firm and short-jointed. After the end of September, prepare for 

 winter by withholding the customary syringiugs, gradually lessening 

 the supply of water at the roots, and by placing them in a cool end 

 of the house. From November to February, a temperature ranging 

 from 50° to 55° will be quite high enough. 



All the species excepting A. Hendersoni are deciduous; there- 

 fore, no attempt must be made to compel them to retain the leaves 

 during the winter by means of liberal supplies of water and a high 

 temperature. Although A. Hendersoni is an evergreen, it must have 

 a thorough rest, which can be accomplished by keeping it in the 

 temperature mentioned above, with just sufficient water to keep the 

 leaves fresh and plump. If this species is dried off so completely as 

 the others, it will suffer considerably, and refuse to break regularly 

 the following spring. The wood of the others must be firm and 

 well ripened before winter, to prevent its shrivelling when the water 

 is withheld, and the drying-off must be done in a gradual manner. 



Early in February prune the young shoots of the preceding season 

 back to two or three eyes from the base, according to the strength of 

 the respective growths. A fortnight after pruning, plunge the pots 

 in a hotbed of 75", and as soon as the buds begin to push, shift 



