22 THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 



will not break so early as the upper ones, therefore in order to 

 induce a uniform emission of shoots, have recourse to the simple 

 plan of gently bending the heads of the stem downwards, fixing it 

 in that position by means of a peg, returning it to its original posi- 

 tion as soon as your object is attained. The plants will require the 

 protection of glass till the middle of May, but remove the lights on 

 all favourable occasions previous to that time, or you will not insiA'e 

 robust growth, and no after treatment will make up for this neglect. 

 In potting at this season use a small quantity of mellow cow- dung, 

 but as worms generate abundantly in this manure they should be 

 carefully picked out before incorporating it with the rest of the 

 compost. Should mildew make its appearance slightly dust with 

 powdered sulphur. Green-fly should also be watched for; it feeds 

 greedily on the new or sappy portion of the wood, and sadly cripples 

 the progress of the plants if not speedily destroyed by fumigating 

 with tobacco. * 



In April, if previous directions have been attended to, the plants 

 will be assuming a bushy habit and daily exciting interest. The 

 way in which they are to be trained must therefore now engage 

 attention ; for on this no mean portion of the beauty of a speci- 

 men depends, and in order that you may the better preserve your 

 plants in good condition. As regards foliage, do not let them sufier 

 from drought, but on the other hand do not water too copiously ; 

 both extremes soon change the colour of the foliage from green to 

 yellow, and decayed leaves are the result. In training for the first 

 fix a stick in the main stem ; to this loop your side shoots, and then 

 proceed to bend some of them, down to the edge of the pot ; this 

 had better be done gradually at two or three diff'erent times, as thej 

 require to be tenderly handled, the young wood at this stage being 

 brittle and apt to snap. When you have completed this operation, 

 and your plants are thoroughly rooted in the pots they now occupy, 

 you may stop all or such shoots as you may consider to require it ; 

 the length at which they are to be left must be in proportion to 

 their strength. Do not let the plants be cramped for want of 

 top-room, or they will become spindling and long-jointed. On 

 fine mornings they may now be syringed with clean water; this 

 will free the foliage from any dirt that may have settled on ; but 

 take care that your plants are perfectly dry before you shut them up 

 for the night, for fear frost should find its way to them. 



As soon in May as you discover the break caused by the last 

 stopping, shift into eight-inch pots, selecting for the purpose the 

 healthiest and strongest of your plants. For this potting let your 

 soil consist of as much turfy loam as possible; mix it with the for- 

 merly-mentioned ingredients, also pound a quantity of oyster shells 

 and mix them with the soil ; they w^ill assist in keeping it porous, 

 and supply food to the plants, as they contain a good deal of the 

 superphosphate of lime ; likewise use a little charcoal in your 

 drainage — it helps to preserve the foliage in a healthy green state. 

 After potting, if the weather will permit, you may move the plants 

 from under glass to a sheltered spot in the garden ; towards the 

 latter end of the month shift them to a more exposed situation ; but 



