232 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



INTERMEDIATE STOCKS FOR THE CONSERVATORY. 



AVINGr been successful in growing these for many years 

 past, I have come to the conclusion that this beautiful 

 stock is not grown one-half so extensively as it should 

 be. Apart from the beauty of the flowers, their 

 delicious fragrance alone is quite sufficient to entitle 

 them to a more fuller recognition of their merits. Those who fail 

 to have a good supply in their conservatory through the spring 

 months miss one of the charms of that season. We usually grow 

 about six dozen, three for growing in a little warmth to flower early, 

 and the other three dozen lor grow ing in a cold frame to succeed them. 

 The seed is sown rather thinly in a flat box on the 1st of August, 

 and placed in a frame or greenhouse until it is nicely up, when 

 it is stood out of doors until the plants are large enough to handle. 

 Some good turfy loam is chopped up roughly and mixed with about 

 one-third of its bulk uf rotten dung. After this is done, a suffi- 

 cient number of 4S-sized pots are filled with the compost, after 

 placing a few crocks in the bottom for drainage, and three plants 

 put into each. The soil should be pressed rather firmly, for the 

 plants do not root so freely and grow so well when it is loose as they 

 do when it is rather firm. After all are potted, they are placed out 

 of doors in an exposed posiiion until frost sets in, when they are 

 removed to a cold pit, and protected from the severest of the weather. 

 Those intended to be grown in a little warmth are taken to the 

 greenhouse early in January, and then about the middle of February 

 are placed in a heat which ranges from fifty to sixty degrees. They 

 are syringed occasionally to keep down the red-spider, and watered 

 with manure-water about every other time, and I find that it in- 

 creases the size of the spikes immensely. The others are placed in 

 the greenhouse, which is rather warmer than the cold frame, about 

 the end of February. By these means I manage to add very mate- 

 rially to the beauty of the conservatory under my charge at a very 

 small expense, and in many instances outvie my neighbours who 

 spend a lot of money upon hyacinths and other bulbs. We also 

 have a two-light turf-pit, in which a bed of light and rich soil is 

 made and planted with the plants left, after sufficient have been put 

 in pots. Plenty of air is admitted through the winter, and in the 

 spring they are taken up with nice ball of soil adhering to the roots, 

 and planted in a large circular bed near the drawing-room windows. 

 When this is done carefully they flower well, and the bed excites 

 more admiration than the happiest combination of bedding plants I 

 have ever had. It is true, it delays the planting-out of summer 

 occupants ; but as sufficient are always grown in 48's for plant- 

 ing this bed, so as to produce an immediate effect, this is of no 

 great consequence. This could not be well carried out all over the 

 garden, but for beds which are close to the windows it is worth a 

 moment's thought as to whether it cannot be managed. The three 

 colours of white, rose, and scarlet are grown, and Mr. Smith, of the 

 Hornsey Road, has a beautiful new lilac-flowered variety, which I 

 shall obtain at the first opportunity. J. T. 



