THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 113 



requisite during the winter months being a good mulching of coal- 

 ashes. 



The easiest way, however, of raising them is from the strong side- 

 suckers from old plants in the spring ; the end of February is the 

 berit time for amateurs to divide them, and the divisions should then 

 be planted immediately in a rich sandy soil, where they are sure to 

 do well without much attention. 



Another excellent way of growing them is from eyes, in the same 

 manner as potatoes are propagated, the same sort of treatment doing 

 equally well for both. This operation of dividing should be performed 

 in November, by which time a large fleshy root-stock, or ground- 

 stem will be formed beneath the soil. On this will be found the 

 eyes, in a similar situation to the eyes on Canna roots, or any other 

 kind of gingerwort plant. Prom every eye you ought to get a good 

 plant, and the only diflicult thing is cutting the roots up properly, 

 and there is really no difliculty after all in this. All that you have 

 to do is to cut as much flesh as you can to each eye, and as many of 

 the carrot-like little roots to each division as you conveniently can ; 

 but these last are not absolutely necessary to insure success. These 

 " sets " are to be treated in exactly the same way as potato sets ; they 

 should be planted in the same kind of soil, at about the same depth, 

 and the same distances between the sets, and success will be certain. 

 After they are cut they may be kept indoors for a week or so, in 

 order to let them get sufiicieutly dry for the purpose of planting, 

 and then they may be put in the place where it is intended they 

 should remain ; but perhaps the better method is to place them in 

 very light soil until April, for the purpose of enabling them to 

 multiply their roots, and then planting them in good, rich, strong 

 soil, in their permanent positions. 



They may be allowed to get about six inches high before any 

 water is given but such as they get in the ordinary course of nature ; 

 but from this time they may be watered about three times a week 

 until they have attained a height of eighteen inches, when they may 

 have a liberal watering every day, with pretty strong doses of house 

 sewage, in which they will rejoice amazingly, and grow at a furious 

 rate. In fact, they would not be injured if they were grown iu 

 water during the three hottest months of the year, for they appear 

 to be the most thirsty of all the plants we haye from South Africa. 



This is about all the attention they need, and if it is not required 

 to continue their propagation, they may be left in the ground with 

 their winter protection of coal-ashes. The roots will enlarge rapidly 

 if the soil is congenial to them, and the side-suckers will in their 

 turn throw up adaitional flower-scapes, so that they will ultimately 

 become very noble objects. 



The best time to purchase and plant Tritomas is the month of 

 April, and a well-manured loam and a position fully exposed to 

 sunshine are needful for their well-doing. 



Srixton. W.B. B, 



YOL. I. — -^O. IV. 



