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CULTIVATION OF ERTTHEINA CRISTA- GALLI. 



SHOULD not recommeud the amateur to raise a plant 

 of this from a cutting ; but recommend him to obtain 

 early in the year a two or three year old plant or 

 root. Repot it in the first week of March (to bloom 

 in August) in a compost of rough fibry turf, a little 

 peat in a rough state, leaf-mould, charcoal, and silver-sand, with 

 good drainage — the turf not to be too old. If your turf is new 

 — that is, with the grass green — roast it slightly upon the furnace 

 fire to kill the insects. The pot to be plunged in a tan-bed for 

 six weeks ; the shoots will then be five or six inches long. Cut 

 out all the weak growth, and leave from four to six of the strongest 

 shoots, taking care when young to bend the shoots as near the edge 

 of the pot as possible — that is, from the crown to the pot edge — 

 placing the sticks round the edge of the pot, tying near the top of pot 

 without breaking the shoot, leaving the stronger shoot for the centre. 

 Bv this means you will have foliage to the edge of the pot, and a 

 more compact plant than when trained straight from the crown. 

 Pi'obably many amateurs may not have a tan-bed, and those that 

 have only a greenhouse may say that they could not follow this plan 

 because of the trouble and time. To those I should most decidedly 

 say, persevere, and try and try again. To make a tan-bed in a green- 

 house, you only require to take the deals of the front stage, the sides 

 of which from the flue may be formed of slates. This, filled with 

 bark, makes a good bed for bottom-heat, and not expensive, and will 

 be found to be very \iseful to start plants into growth in spring. 



But to oiir subject. After the plant has made five or six inches 

 growth, the pot should be raised and set upon the bed for a week or 

 two, after which the plant should be transferred to the greenhouse, 

 or if the bed is in the greenhouse, to the coolest part, syringing both 

 morning and evening, not forgetting to give the roots a good supply 

 when wanted — but mind, not regularly every day. About the middle 

 of June, take the plant to the cold frame. Those that have no cold 

 frame may place it in a sheltered spot out of doors, with a calico 

 covering over the plant to protect from rain. The object in placing 

 in the frames is to receive the dews upon the foliage at night, which 

 is much better than syringing. By this means the foliage will be of 

 a beautiful dark glossy colour, and will extend from the top shoot to 

 the rim of the pot, making what is called a well-furnished specimen. 

 A week or ten days before the exhibition, the plant should again 

 be placed in the greenhouse near the glass, where the flowers will 

 both colour and expand most beautifully. I had a plant, treated 

 precisely as stated, last year, with thirteen flowering spikes. The 

 plant was only 3 feet 6 inches in height and 3 feet through, in an 

 18-ineh pot, with foliage to the top of the pot, of a dark glossy green 

 colour. Amateub. 



