376 THE GARDENER. [Aug. 



restriction at the root, until in the winter many people mistook them 

 for Plum-trees. Pinching enables the cultivator to turn a plant or 

 fruit-tree into any form or shape, if he only knows how and when to 

 do it. You do not achieve results by pinching because Dick, Tom, 

 or Harry did the same, at the same time the year before, but because 

 you are capable of judging, from the condition of the plant or tree 

 before you, that the operation will produce beneficial results. 



W. Hinds. 



PLUMBAGO HOSEA COCCINEA. 



Amongst useful stove-flowering plants this Plumbago should be exten- 

 sively grown for decorative purposes. There are objections urged 

 against it as useless for cutting, for which purpose it is not suitable, 

 unless flowers are required only for one evening, for such as dinner- 

 table purposes, etc. Nevertheless this one drawback, great though it 

 may appear to some, is not sufficient reason for discarding it entirely. 

 Its value for decoration alone, justifies us in recommending it to be 

 largely grown by those who have flowers to produce in quantity dur- 

 ing the dreary days of winter. In few private places are all the flowers 

 that have to be grown used for cutting purposes. Greenhouses, con- 

 servatories, &c., have to be kept gay in the majority of cases, besides 

 those employed for other purposes. For effectiveness in stoves, the 

 Plumbago is invaluable. The flowers individually do not last long, 

 but they are produced in such succession as to maintain the plant gay 

 over its entire blooming season, which is not of short duration. Few 

 plants are better adapted for arranging amongst Crotons, Dracsenas, 

 and others of a stiff and formal growth, the stifi'ness and formality of 

 which the Plumbago relieves. It is of easy cultivation, and requires 

 but little skill to grow it to perfection with but moderate convenience. 

 Young plants annually produced in spring by means of cuttings do the 

 best. The month of April is a good time to insert the cuttings, for if 

 taken earlier the young shoots frequently produce flowers, and in con- 

 sequence do not make such rapid progress afterwards. The side shoots, 

 when about 1 inch in length, should be taken for cuttings, which 

 root as readily as Verbenas if placed in 5-inch pots in sandy soil, and 

 placed in a close frame. When rooted, and before the roots become 

 matted together, they should be placed singly in 3-inch pots, and placed 

 in the shade for a short time until fresh growth commences. No better 

 place can be selected for them than under the shade of Cucumbers and 

 Melons during their early stages. When afforded a warm moist tem- 

 perature they grow rapidly, and soon require to be pinched well back. 

 It is useless to merely remove the point, as they invariably only break 

 one growth ; but when pinched well back into the harder wood, more 

 shoots are produced. 



