144 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



plentiful proportion of silver-sand. The loam must be chopped up 

 roughly, and the manure and sand then thoroughly incorporated 

 with it. The soil in which the young stock is pricked off should 

 have the addition of a part of leaf-mould, to ensure their rooting 

 quickly in it. 



The pots must be perfectly clean and well drained, to prevent 

 the soil becoming sour and waterlogged. The number of times the 

 stock will require shitting depends upon the purpose for which the 

 respective specimens are required ; two shifts will be sufficient for 

 those intended for ordinary conservatory decoration ; but specimens 

 for exhibition must have three shifts. In both cases they should 

 first of all be put in three-inch pots, and, when well established, 

 those which are only to have one more shift should be transferred 

 to six-inch pots, and the others into five-inch size ; and when 

 repotted again put into pots two sizes larger. Those which are to 

 be flowered in six-inch pots should have their last shift in the early 

 part of November, and the others about the middle of December. 

 Each batch must be repotted before the plants become pot-bound, 

 because of the danger which exists of throwing them into flower 

 prematurely. The soil should be pressed rather firm, but hard- 

 potting must be avoided. 



A cold frame placed on the shady side of a wall is the most 

 suitable position for the stock until the end of September, as it can 

 have abundance of light without being exposed to the fierce rays of 

 the sun. Erom the end of the above-named month until the 

 flowers begin to expand, a heated store-pit facing the south is the 

 best possible position, although they will do very well in an ordinary 

 greenhouse, provided they are placed near the glass, and not exposed 

 to cold winds and keen draughts. It is also highly important to 

 use as little fire-heat as possible; indeed, just sufficient to keep out 

 the frost, with the aid of a covering on the glass, is all that should 

 be employed. "When exposed to much artificial heat the leaves will 

 curl, and the plants nearly or quite come to a standstill. On the 

 other hand, a little artificial warmth in very dull and damp weather 

 will be of considerable service to maintain a sweet moving atmo- 

 sphere. 



Damp and mildew are the principal enemies to the cineraria, but 

 both are easily kept in check if taken in time. The best remedy for 

 mildew is flour of sulphur dusted over the foliage, and for the 

 destruction of the green-fly nothing can equal tobacco-powder. The 

 latter should be applied after the foliage has been wetted with the 

 syringe, and washed off again in about twenty-four hours after- 

 wards. Green-fly can be destroyed by fumigating with tobacco- 

 paper, but the tobacco- powder is applied more easily, and there is 

 no danger whatever attending its use if the precaution of not allow- 

 ing it to remain on too long is duly observed. 



The plants must be watered carefully at all times, especially 

 durino- the winter. They must have sufficient water to maintain a 

 vigorous growth, without being ke|>t in a constantly saturated con- 

 dition, and no more ; but they must not under any consideration 

 suffer from drought. Use soft water until the end of January, and 



