110 THE FLORIST. 



ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE APHELEXIS. 



This beautiful and justly much admired genus has for many years 

 formed one of the greatest ornaments in the splendid collections of 

 plants that have annually graced the tents of our great metropolitan 

 exhibitions ; a few practical hints, therefore, respecting its cultivation, 

 which I have conducted successfully for many years, may not be un- 

 interesting. 



I will commence with its propagation, which is considered by 

 many rather a difficult task, but having raised some hundreds of them 

 by the following process, I venture to assert, that by strictly pursu- 

 ing my plan, no one will be disappointed in the attempt. I would 

 choose the month of June for the purpose : in selecting cuttings, make 

 choice of good strong ripe wood, three or four inches long, if such 

 can be obtained; and if there are three or four side-shoots to the cut- 

 tings all the better, as in that way nice dwarf bushy plants will be 

 formed at once. In taking off cuttings, instead of removing them 

 with a knife, break them out down to the joint, with a shoulder or 

 heel to them, and just pruning off the loose bark with a knife, is all 

 that is required. Prepare some 5-inch pots by well draining them, 

 and filling them nearly full with light peat and sharp sand in equal 

 proportion; on this place half-an-inch of clean sharp sand, press all 

 down close, and place your cuttings round the edge of the pot, press- 

 ing them in tightly. When finished, select a shady place out of doors 

 under a north wall for them. Take out a trench about nine inches 

 deep ; place in the bottom of it three inches of coal- ashes, for the 

 purpose of keeping down worms, and on this plunge your pots to 

 their rims, filling up between them with ashes. When this is done, 

 put a sound hand-glass over them, pressing it down firmly on the 

 ashes to seclude all air from entering. They may then be left three 

 or four days, when they may receive a slight sprinkling of water. 

 Put the glass carefully on them again, when there will be but little to 

 attend to until they are rooted, except looking to them occasionally, 

 in order to see that they do not get dry, or that damp does not accu- 

 mulate. 



In August they will be ready for potting, which should be done 

 as soon as they are rooted, in order to get well-established, nice, 

 bushy plants before winter. When potting, use the same compost 

 as is recommended for the bottom of the cutting pots, and pot them 

 into 3 -inch pots. Set them in a close cold frame, and shade them 

 from the hot sun. In a fortnight they will be sufficiently established 

 to permit of the operation of topping being performed, which should 

 be done to every shoot ; this will ensure your getting them short and 

 bushy, and a proper foundation will be laid for a fine specimen. 



When the season arrives for placing them in their winter quarters, 

 make choice of a nice dry airy shelf in the greenhouse for them, as 

 close to the glass as can be obtained, where they may remain until 

 the following April ; they will then require shifting into larger pots, 

 using the compost rather coarser and with less sand in it than before, 



