182 



THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 



shut up in a cold frame, and kept shaded 

 and regular^' sprinkled, they will be well 

 rooted in a fortnight. It is a saving of 

 time in the end to put all cuttings singly 

 in pots at this time of year, as they can be 

 allowed to fill the first pots with roots, so 

 as to grow strong from their first start. 

 In preparing pots for the cuttings, use 

 smallest sixties or thumbs ; put a mixture 

 of turf atid old dung over the crocks, and 

 fill up with half sand and half leaf, in 

 which the cuttings will root as quickly as 

 in sand alone at this season, and have 

 something to live upon while filling the 

 pots with roots. This is the best method 

 for amateurs, who are much away from 

 home, as the single cuttings require less 

 care than when dibbled into sand only in 

 shallow pans. 



Hardy Shrubs of all kinds may now be 

 propagated by layers or cuttings, the latter 

 preferable, and the smaller the better if 

 the shoots are firm. Aucubas, Laurels, 

 Lauristinus, Grieslinia, box, ivy, holly, 

 etc., etc., may be increased indefinitely by 

 putting in small cuttings of this season's 

 growth in sandy soil, in a shady plac?, and 

 keeping them watered in dry weather. 

 Any rather tender suhjects struck in this 

 way should be potted in September to keep 

 in frames all winter, but generally they 

 may remain where first put in till the 

 following spring. As Irish ivy makes a 

 grand edging to great beds, the hint may 

 be useful that now is the time to propagate 

 it for such a purpose next year. 



Greenhouse. — Greenhouse Plants, es- 

 pecially hard-wooded kinds, will be bene- 

 fited by a few weeks' exposure in the 

 open air, to ripen their seasonal growth, 

 and give them a stocky habit. This will 

 afford opportunity for a general cleaning 

 and painting of sashes, stages, walls, etc., 

 and to clear out vermin from odd corners 

 and old wood-work. Houses containing 

 all ordinary kinds of stock to have air on 

 day and night ; but most soft-wooded 

 plants in flower will enjoy to be shut up 

 for an hour after watering, and then to 

 have a little air again. 



Gesnera zebritia to flower in winter will 

 require a shift. The compost to be equal 

 parts hazelly loam, fibry peat, and leaf- 

 mould. Keep shaded and warm after 

 shifting, and syringe frequently. 



Hyacinths and other Spring Bulbs for an 

 early bloom will have to be potted shortly, 

 and preparations must at once be made to 

 secure plenty of good turfy compost in a 

 sweet and friable condition. We have 

 tried several kinds of tall hyacinth pots, 

 and found them in no way superior to pots 

 of the ordinary make. 



Pelargoniums, as they go out of bloom 

 to be cut down, and placed in a warm, 

 sheltered, and rather shady place for a 

 w-eek, then to be put in the full sun, and 

 kept rather dry at the root, with occasional 

 sprinklings of the stems and leaves till 

 they break, and then to be lepotted back 

 into small pots with sound lumpy turf to 

 make their new roots in. 



Pelargoniums that have been cut down 

 and made new shoots an inch Ions; must 

 be repotted. Don't shake the earth off" so 

 as to destroy the ball entirely, but remove 

 the outside and trim in the roots slightly, 

 so as to get them into small po's. Those 

 potted a month ago now want a shift. Take 

 care to have a sound compost ; the use of 

 light sandy composts has much to do with 

 the long joints and weak flower- stems we 

 notice at the shows. 



Refresh all specimen plants in pots that 

 are not to be shifted, by removing the top 

 soil, and adding a dressing of new material 

 — sheep's dung for those that can stand it, 

 rotten dung from a cucumber pit for Ca- 

 mellias, Allamandas, Stephanotis, Dipla- 

 denia, etc. 



Stove. — Stove Plants must he prepared 

 betimes for the winter by gradually with- 

 holdivg water from such as have completed 

 their growth, and exposing as much as 

 possible to air and sunshine all hard- 

 wooded plants, that the growth of the 

 season may be completely ripened. Those 

 intended for early bloom next season to 

 be shifted at once to their blooming pots ; 

 let the soil be fresh, and the shifts not 

 greater than the plants can reasonably fill 

 up, and have time to ripen their wood. 



Orchid House. — Orchids must have 

 every necessary assistance to ripen their 

 pseudo bulbs. They may have more light 

 and air, and less moisture, but must be 

 kept plump, and those that continue to 

 grow all winter to be kept going steadily, 

 but without excitement. 



Pits and Frames. — Auriculas require 

 repotting, to remove offsets, and secure a 

 good bloom next season. The soil should 

 be full of fibre, and in a sweet and fresh 

 condition. Put the offsets in thumbs, 

 singly, in a sandy mixture, and shut them 

 up close for a week ; this is better than 

 inserting them round the sides of pots, as 

 they can be allowed to fill the thumbs 

 with roots, and then have a good shift at 

 once. 



Cucumbers for winter fruiting must he 

 reared at once, and cuttings are preferable 

 to seed, as the plants have a shorter habit, 

 and are mo-e fruitful. Take very small 

 cuttings from the ends of newly-made 

 shoots, put them singly in small 60' s, and 



