250 



ANKUALS POR THE GEEENHOUSE IN EARLY SPRING. 



illGNONETTE, 



MAKE three sowings for spring flowering— the first in the second week of 

 August, tlie second about the end, and the third in the second week of 

 September ; those for spei iraen plants I sow in pots of the size called 

 48, and those for remaining as they are in 32. Tlie soil I u^e is half 

 peat and half leaf-mould, well incorporated together, and passed 

 through a very coarse sieve. The parts of the peat that remain in the sieve 1 lay 

 above the potsherds, to secure proper drainage. I sow the seed moderately thin, and 

 cover it slightly with snil composed of sand and peat passed through a fine sieve. I 

 then water the pots, and put them in a frame, and keep it neaily close shut up till 

 the seed vegf tares ; and then the lights are pulled oif in fine weather, to prevent the 

 plants being drawn up wenk ; but I put them on in heavy rains. 1 thin them cut 

 as soon as I can take hold of them with ease ; I tiiin them twice, leaving at the 

 last four plants in the 48 size, and six in the 32. If the weather is tine, 1 let them 

 remain till the middle of October ; if otherwise, I remove them to a >he\£ c.ose to 

 the glass in the greenhouse, where they get plenty of air; and iu a short time they 

 are in flower. Those of the second sowing 1 prefer for specimen plants. When the 

 pots are well filled with roots, so that they are protruding throujih the bottom of 

 the pots, I shifc them into a size larger; those in 48"s I shift into 32's, and tliose in 

 the latter flower much longer and finer by being shifted into 24's. I use the same 

 soil, but not sifted ; then tie up the plants to small stakes. At the time tiiC}' require 

 shifting, the leading shoot will be in flower, which I pinch off those plants. About 

 the beginning of January they will require another sliift into No. 24's ; at this shift 

 I add a third of light rich loam to the former compost, and take in thestiongest 

 lateral shoot for a leader ; at this period the laterals will be flowering, which T pinch 

 off: they will now begin to ^I'ow rapidly, and proper attentiun should be paid to 

 watering. By adopting the above treatment I had plants three feet high, and two 

 feet in diameter, which kept on flowering till the middle of May. 



XEMOPHILA IXSIGNIS. 



I sow the seed at the same time as the mignonette, viz., the beginning of August, 

 under hand-glasses, removing the glasses as so .n as the plants are above the sur/ace. 

 I thin them out to prevent tlieir being drawn up weak. When the plants are a good 

 size, I put them into 60's, one iu a pot, if strong, but sometimes three ; and 1 give 

 them a good watering overhead, and place them in any sheltered situation, but fully 

 exposed to the sun. About the middle of October I t-ike the strongest, and repot 

 them into 4S's, and tie up the branches to five or more sticks in each pot ; I then 

 place them in a cold pit, giving them all the air that is possible. About the beginning 

 of December some will be required to be shifted into 32's, to be in flower in February, 

 and the others I shifc in succession into 24's "When 1 shift them into the pots I 

 intend them to flower in, I stick in four wiilows at regular distances round the pot, 

 and, bending the two opposite, 1 bring them together at top in the form of a balloon; 

 those in 32-pots about two feet and a half above the pot, and those iu 24's three feet. 

 I then put hoops of strong wire round the willows, the first six inches above the pit, 

 the other eighteen inches above it, securing them firm to the willows. 1 then tie fine 

 threads of matting at regular distances between the two hoops, to train the shoot to 

 ■which, when they reach the top, I allow them to hang down on the other side* The 

 reason why I train them in the manner described is this: — if trained on straight 

 sticks, as soon as they get to the top they break down, not being able to support 

 themselves, and thus leave all the top part without any flowers. Another way is 

 not to tie them up at all, but let tliem hang down all over the pot. In doing them 

 this way I keep them on shelves, to prevent tlieir clamping off. In placing them in 

 the greenhouse, the pots should be plac&d above the height of the visitor, it being 

 unsightly, not having many flowers nev the roots. Also stakes can be driven into tlie 

 border of the conservatory, and pots placed on the top, the shoots hanging down and 

 covering the stake. The plant has in this manner a fine effect j in a word, it has 

 only to be seen to be admired. 



