130 



THE FLOEAL WOULD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 



be needful, both to strengthen the shoots 

 to be worked, and make room between rows 

 for the operation, they will break before 

 budding-time, and the sap will flow freely 

 when it is wanted. Buds that remain dor- 

 mant till the next spring do not generally 

 make such good plants as buds that start 

 away soon after being entered, and make 

 ripe hard shoots before winter. We have 

 found that when the shoots from the buds 

 of the season were very sappy, a gentle 

 lift of the stock by means of a four-tined 

 fork, early in October, gave a check that 

 hastened the ripening, and prevented loss 

 in winter. We mention this now because 

 some propagators prefer dormant buds, be- 

 cause of the risk in winter, whereas push- 

 ing buds can be used with equal safety if 

 means are resorted to to check the growth 

 in time. Another matter worthy of men- 

 tion is that the wild wood should not be 

 cut away severely before entering the buds, 

 as the loss of it checks the flow of sap, and 

 defers the complete junction of the two 

 barks. 



Tritoma uvaria and varieties require 

 abundance of water now, especially if in 

 pots. Liliums the same ; when throwing 

 up their spikes they can scarcely have too 

 much. Ixias and other Cape bulbs in 

 flower need the same treatment ; after 

 flowering, lessen the supply, but allow 

 free growth, that they may die down and 

 ripen naturally, during which process let 

 them go quite, dry. 



Greenhouse. — Achimenes need help 

 from liquid manure, to prolong their beauty, 

 and develop the foliage and flowers fully. 

 The best contrivnnces now in use for dis- 

 playing them are the open wire baskets 

 humorously designated "crinoline pots;" 

 in these they grow to perfection, probably 

 because of the access of air to the roots. 



Celosia aitrea pyramidalis is now 

 showing flower, and will be benefited with 

 weak liquid manure occasionally. It is 

 one of the most useful of all the novelties 

 for conservatory decoration, and needs the 

 same treatment as cockscombs. Plants 

 required extra fine to have a shift in rich 

 light soil. 



Cinerarias are generally very mixed as 

 to quality, owing to the too frequent keep- 

 ing of seedlings that have pleased by their 

 colour, but had no other good quality. But 

 seeing how many really beautiful varieties 

 are now obtainable, it is a positive waste of 

 time and glass room to propagate any seed- 

 lings that have not some decidedly good 

 qualities. We name this now, because 

 many gardeners who grow these plants 

 largely for decoration are at this time of 

 year tempted to propagate from whatever 



old plants they possess, with too little re- 

 gard for their quality, whereas if a few of 

 the best new ones, or a complete set have 

 to be purchased, the cost is little, and 

 quality is of the first importance in a flower 

 which every one can criticise. When ad- 

 miring a sheet of Bougainvillea, none of 

 us think about properties ; but the most 

 uninformed take note of the form and pro- 

 portions and colouring of a cineraria, and 

 every second-rate seedling should be thrown 

 on the muck-heap as soon as the bloom is 

 over, so as to reduce the work of propa- 

 gating to a few of the very best. Those 

 to be kept should either be moulded up in 

 the pots or be planted out on a shady border 

 in rich sandy soil an inch below the level, 

 to induce them to break freely for increase 

 of the stock. 



Climbers in free growth look best when 

 left a little to themselves, so as to display 

 " The negligence of nature wide and wild ;" 

 but some tying and training must be done, 

 and the cultivator must have an eye that 

 the rods intended for future flowering are 

 not unduly shaded by disorderly growths. 

 There is a happy medium between training 

 climbers in a severely artificial manner, and 

 leaving them to sprawl about and choke 

 themselves, which it should be the aim of 

 the observant gardener to discover and en- 

 courage. 



Fuchsias should be propagated now in 

 quantity. Specimen plants will require 

 abundance of water, and once a week liquid 

 manure. Fuchsias in the open ground are 

 generally disfigured with a superabundance 

 of sticks, whereas in a good turfy soil, with 

 a moderate amount of rotten dung, they 

 ought to need but little artificial support, 

 and a certain easy drooping habit is proper 

 to their character. Most of the light fuch- 

 sias require to be well shaded, or the points 

 of the calyx acquire a green tinge. 



Herbaceous Calceolarias are now in 

 fine perfection, and we have reason to con- 

 gratulate the breeders of improved forms 

 on the robust habit and beautiful colours 

 that have been produced. Any choice 

 varieties to be seeded should be secured in 

 duplicate, to keep up the varieties from cut- 

 tings, as the plants that furnish seed will 

 probabty die. Those to be cut from not to 

 be allowed to ripen a single seed; cut away 

 the flower-stems as soon as the bloom is 

 nearly over, and put them in a p:t ficing 

 north, with the lights off night and day, 

 and the sun kept off by a thick screen of 

 mats. 



Pelargoniums in bloom must have some 

 amount of shade, but they are generally 

 shaded too heavily, so that we do not see 

 their true colours. Give plenty of water, 



