(j THE FLORIST. 



collection) will have gone under my own hands. I am then generally- 

 spared the miserable disappointment of turning out into the blooming- 

 pot a fine healthy plant, and of seeing it a month afterwards hang down 

 its head and die. 



2. Potting. — This I generally perform at the latter end of March 

 and beginning of April, for it is very little use exposing the plants, 

 before they have taken hold of the ground, to the cold biting winds of 

 March. The pots that I use are those usually sold at 6s. a dozen 

 (about nine inches across the top) ; into the bottom of these I put a 

 considerable quantity of broken pots, and over them a thin layer of dry 

 Moss, and on this the compost above mentioned, " not riddled; " into 

 each of these I put a pair of plants ; give them a gentle watering, and 

 stand them out in an open place, in fact, on the garden walks, until 

 they begin to manifest signs of growth, having first tied them to small 

 sticks to prevent them from being blown about : when they begin to 

 "spindle," I then put a stake about 3-| feet long into the centre of the 

 pot, and tie each of the flower stems to it, and they are then placed in 

 their quarters for — 



3. Blooming. — It is desirable to have a blooming stage if possible ; 

 this should be a light framework about five feet high at the sides, rising 

 to seven in the centre ; on this may either be drawn an awning, or 

 light frames covered with tiffany be put ; under this the pots are 

 arranged so as to afford easy access ; as the plants grow they are to 

 be tied to the stakes, allowed all the air and rain they can get, and on 

 no account to be shaded until the colour begins to show in the bud ; 

 they should be thinned of these buds, not more than three being 

 allowed to each plant, and it will be desirable to suspend each bud tu 

 the stake by a piece of thin copper wire ; as they swell, tie round the 

 centre of each a piece of bass mat, to prevent bursting, and open the 

 segments of the calyx with a blunt piece of ivory ; cards (those sold 

 by Meek are the neatest) should be slipped over the bud, and as the 

 petals expand they should be laid by a pair of Carnation tweezers on 

 the card. I, of course, only presume that this will be done when a 

 first-rate bloom is wanted ; they will expand, and look pretty enough 

 without it, but they will not be A 1. But when you have done all 

 this, you may, with a good deal of safety, ask any of your friends to 

 beat that if they can. And now — 



4. Layering, &c. — This process is so well known to all florists that it 

 seems useless to describe it ; the gardener that I employ cuts the top 

 instead of the underneath side of the shoot, and then gives it a twist 

 round, a plan which ensures the non-closing of the wound again ; the 

 time for doing it depends on the state of the plants : mine are ready the 

 end of July, and are done a few at a time during that and the following 

 month. In September they are ready to take off; I pot them singly 

 into 48's, using the stuff they have been growing in, with the addition 

 of a little fresh loam ; they are then put into a frame, and kept close 

 for a few days ; after this, put into a pit, and left exposed, though I do 

 not allow them to have any heavy rains ; all dead leaves are to be cut 

 off, and green fly carefully watched. 



5. Wintering, — Here I believe great mistakes are often com- 



