MARCH. 73 



occasions (except during drenching rains,) up to the time of the setting 

 in of frost, from the severity of which they need to be protected. At the 

 time of potting, all but those shoots which are moderately even in 

 growth should be removed, and the stems which are preserved be 

 stripped of their side shoots — pegging down the stems round the side 

 of the pots, and supporting those in the centre is advisable. The care, 

 through the winter, consists in steering judiciously between too much 

 nursing and too much exposure — the one would draw the plants, the 

 other would do away with the benefit to be derived from protection. 

 If mildew appears, which is frequently the case, apply sulphur ; if green- 

 fly, tobacco. At the beginning of February, potting into the blooming 

 pots should be proceeded with, taking care to use precisely the same 

 soil as that into which they were removed in the autumn ; a change of 

 soil at this time is highly prejudicial — eight-inch pots will be sufficient 

 for the largest plants, six-inch for the smaller. Between this and the 

 time of flowering, let all means be taken to insure short-jointed and 

 vigorous growth. Keep the plants free from suckers, and the stems of 

 side shoots ; tie them out into the desired form, with one or more of the 

 strongest stems to form the centre ; a short time previous to their setting 

 to bloom, those varieties which will not be overgro^^^l by such a 

 stimulant may have occasional applications of weak liquid manure. 

 Continue to remove the blooms up to near the time when the whole of 

 the stems can be had in flower together ; this applies to those intended 

 for showing in pots ; the day when the cut blooms will be wanted 

 must be the guide, in this particular, as regards the treatment of the 

 smaller plants. It may be well to mention here, that such as are more 

 than one year old at the time of flowering cannot be depended upon for 

 pot culture, they are apt to die off suddenly without any apparent cause. 

 In the former part of this article, I gave some reasons in favour of 

 growing Pansies, both for ornament and exhibition in pots ; if, in 

 addition, it be generally true, as in this quarter it has been proved to be, 

 that cut blooms are to be had from plants grown in this way, to say the 

 least, equal to those produced from such as are cultivated in the border, 

 this system has very many advantages to recommend it. I have 

 already stated that the difference in habit between some varieties, 

 necessitates, to some extent, a difference also in the mode of cultivation ; 

 some require strong growing, others, to be less Hberally dealt with. 

 The difficulty in carrying this out in a border is great, but it is perfectly 

 easy to do so in a pot. Some again are benefitted by Hquid manure, 

 an application of which to others would cause the production of coarse 

 flowers — discrimination can be used also in this respect in the pots ; 

 but not so readily is it managed in the border. Add to this the power 

 of protecting the blooms, in the one case easily applied, against the 

 difficulty and trouble of effecting it in the other. How great, too, is 

 the saving of soil which is not easily procured; the loam which would be 

 necessary to make up a border for 100 plants would grow a collection 

 in pots for years. Those sorts which are vigorous, and at the same time 

 short-jointed in their growth, will make the best specimens in pots ; 

 any variety which is valued for its blooms may be grown as successfully 

 in a pot as in the open border. S. 



