100 THE FLORIST. 



Coarse open canvass seems to be the best protective material, aided 

 by a temporary projecting eave board at the top of the wall — these 

 materials securing plenty of ventilation and perfect dryness, at the 

 same time arresting the escape of heat by radiation. 



Henry Bailey. 



Naneham^ March 15, 1855. 



ROELLA CILIATA. 



This is one of the most charming plants in cultivation, and were it not 

 that it is somewhat difficult to manage, it would doubtless be more 

 common in collections than it is; but many persons find it to be a some- 

 what difficult subject, and hence it is not nearly so largely grown as it 

 deserves to be. its profusion of fine large, bell-shaped, blue flowers, 

 and their long continuance in beauty, renders it a most desirable subject 

 for July exhibition, and, when well done, few plants that bloom at that 

 season are equal to it. It is, however, by no means impossible to induce 

 it to form first-rate specimens, and to preserve them in good condition 

 for several seasons, and any amateur who will ^carefully attend to the 

 following hints may calculate upon success. 



Propagation is easily effected, as cuttings of the half ripe wood root 

 very freely ; they should be made of strong points, planted in a well- 

 drained pot, in sandy peat, covered with a bell glass, and placed in a 

 shady part of a cool house for a fortnight or three weeks, and afforded 

 a gentle bottom heat, taking care to properly supply them with water 

 and guard them from damp. But although this is the quickest method 

 of rooting it, I prefer putting in the cuttings under a hand glass at the 

 foot of a north wall, where they will soon emit roots in summer, and I 

 have always found those rooted without artificial heat make the best 

 plants. When the cuttings are well rooted, pot singly in 3-inch pots, 

 using good firm fibry peat, broken up small and liberally mixed with 

 silver sand, and making it rather firm about the roots. Give a gentle 

 watering and place in a cold frame, keeping rather close and moist, 

 and shading against bright sunshine. Here they will soon get into 

 free growth, and as soon as they are fairly established in their pots stop 

 them back to within about an inch of the soil, in order to make them 

 throw out several shoots. Shift into 5 -inch pots as soon as the plants 

 get fairly into growth, after stopping, which will be sufficiently large for 

 the first season, and unless the cuttings are got in early in May, 

 which they should be in order to allow of getting the plants some strength 

 before winter, a shift may not be necessary. It is the usual practice 

 to place this plant in rather a warm house in winter, but this should 

 never be done, for plants so treated never grow away with the same 

 vigour in spring as those that are kept dormant through the winter. 

 They should be wintered in the warmest corner of the greenhouse, 

 where they will be close to the glass, and not exposed to currents ot 

 cold air. Water must be applied very carefully and rather sparingly 

 at this season, and mildew must also be carefully watched lor, and 



