106 



THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



winter months, say from November to February, and in favourable 

 seasons may be wonderfully successful. But the risk of loss is great, 

 and the only argument in favour of winter propagation is, that in 

 peculiarly sheltered spots, where an early bloom is desired, winter 

 pruning must be practised, and the prunings may be turned to 

 account to make stock, provided only that nature will assist the 

 enterprise. In the attempt to strike cuttiugs after the turn of the 

 year, a cold frame and a bed of cocoanut-fibre and sand will be 

 immensely serviceable. If the steady bottom heat of a propagating 

 house can be secured, first lay the cuttings in a horizontal position, 

 just covered with tan or fibre, in a warm, moist place for a week or 

 so, to promote the formation of the " callus," and then insert them 

 upright in sandy stuff in a temperature of about 50 deg., a few 

 degrees more or less being of no consequence, provided only that the 

 bed is neither burning hot nor freezing cold. Those who love roses 

 will discover for themselves five hundred wars of multiplying them, 

 but as all their ways will be modifications and amplifications of the 

 modes now proposed, we will not occupy space in describing or 

 analysing them. 



S. H. 



TEOP^OLUM TEICOLQUUM. 



BY raOMiS TErSSLEE, 

 Head Gardener, High Leigh, Hoddesdon, Herts. 



l^pp^piUE lovely little tuberous-rooted Tropcaolum iricolorum is 

 'PfPj SlfTi so valuable for conservatory decoration and so easily 

 jS managed, and, moreover, takes up so little room, that 

 I often wonder why it is not more extensively grown by 

 amateur gardeners. Some of my amateur friends, who 

 have only a little greenhouse, cultivate it very successfully; and when 

 in bloom the plants are taken indoors, where 

 they remain an ornament to the drawing-room 

 window for a considerable period. [Frequently 

 it is not met with in such good condition as it 

 otherwise would be, because it is put by when it 

 dies down in the spring, and is quite forgotten 

 until it is too late to re-pot it without injuring 

 the young growth. 



To cultivate the plant in question success- 

 fully, the tubers should be taken out of the old 

 soil' some time during July or the early part of 

 August, and be re-potted in the same sized pot 

 again and a fresh compost used. The roots are rather delicate, and 

 a light, yet generous, compost should be employed ; but it will be 

 found that one prepared by well incorporating together equal parts 

 of light, fibrous loam, turfy peat, and leaf-mould, and a moderate 



Fin;. 1. 



