17S THE FLORIST. 



It may be asked, How can this be remedied ? Simply by assort- 

 ing each lot previous to comparing them indiscriminately, and then 

 taking the best flower of one lot against the best flower of another 

 lot, the second best against the second best, and so on in rotation. 



Delta. 



ALLAMANDA8. 



These noble and fine-looking plants are well worth all the attention 

 that can be given them. The length of time they last in bloom, to- 

 gether with their fine rich glossy foliage, intermixed with beautiful 

 yellow flowers, causes them to be exceedingly showy and attractive. 



Allamandas are in no way difficult to manage; but at certain 

 stages of growth they require rather more watching than some other 

 plants, to insure their blooming in perfection. I would first com- 

 mence with a small healthy plant by potting it in the following com- 

 post : take fibrous loam and light turfy peat in equal proportions ; 

 add to this half the quantity of well-decomposed leaf-mould with a 

 liberal mixture of sharp silver-sand and rough charcoal •, incorporate 

 all well together and pot your plants, giving the pots plenty of drain- 

 age, and using the soil in a rough state. When potted place them in a 

 stove where bottom heat is at command ; plunge them about halt the 

 depth of their pots, keeping them frequently syringed, and the tem- 

 perature of the house soft and humid, with the thermometer ranging 

 from 70° to 75 c of heat, in which they will soon commence rapid growth. 

 Place in their pots either sticks or wire for their support, and for 

 training them upon ; but at this season I would only advise tying, the 

 training to be done as little as possible, only sufficient to keep the 

 plant from receiving any injury by breaking down, allowing the 

 shoots to ramble at their pleasure, until they begin to shew bloom 

 upon their points. When this appears, they can be trained in what- 

 ever shape may be considered best, regulating the wood to make a 

 well-formed and handsome plant ; but keeping the shoots tied and 

 turned as they advance often retards the growth of the present 

 young wood, and causes the plants to produce other wood instead of 

 bloom ; and a season's experience will discover to you that you have 

 a large plant with very few flowers. 



As the plants advance in growth supply them with some stimu- 

 lating material in the shape of manure-water, prepared from either 

 sheep or cow dung, placing one bushel of either into a tub, and adding 

 twelve gallons of rain-water to it, allowing it to stand twenty-four 

 hours before using it. When applied, strain it through canvass ; add 

 two gallons of clear water to one of manure, and apply it twice or 

 three times each week ; it will also be found that soot-water, when 

 properly applied, invigorates the plants amazingly, and causes them 

 to throw out fine dark robust foliage, and increases the size of their 

 bloom. In preparing this add half a bushel of soot to thirty gallons 



