218 THE GARDENER. [May 



purpose of greenhouse decoration ; but many gardeners retain the 

 whole of their old plants, and find accommodation for them in the 

 flower-garden the following season, where they generally make a very 

 effective display for centres of beds, or dotted along ribbon -borders. 



A plant or two of each variety should be introduced into heat 

 early in January, from which to get a stock of cuttings. As soon as 

 the young shoots have attained to a sufficient size the cuttings may 

 be taken off. Have some pots ready prepared, well drained, three- 

 parts filled up with soil, and the remainder with sharp sand. The 

 pots may be either of a size suitable for each variety, or large enough 

 to contain two or more varieties, keeping them carefully labelled. 

 Water them after being inserted, and plunge the pots up to the rim 

 in a hotbed or propagating-pit. In about a fortnight they will be 

 nicely rooted, and ready for potting off. They should be potted 

 singly in 3 -inch pots, using good fibry loam, leaf- mould, and a 

 good sprinkling of sand to keep it open. One piece of crock over the 

 hole will be sufficient for pots of this size. When potted, return 

 them to the warm pit, hotbed, or vinery, where they may enjoy a 

 temperature of 65° or so. It may be necessary to shade them 

 slightly for a few days at first until they begin to root in the new 

 soil. And now the mode of training must be decided upon. If they are 

 wanted for pyramids or standards, the leader must be encouraged, 

 and kept tied up to a stake. If intended for a standard, the side 

 shoots may be rubbed off as they appear, until the desired height be 

 attained, when the point may be pinched out, and the formation of 

 the head begun. If, on the other hand, pyramids be aimed at, the 

 leader must also be kept staked up and side shoots encouraged, pinch- 

 ing the points occasionally to induce a bushy habit. Some of them 

 however should be grown as dwarfs, and these should have the leader 

 pinched when about 6 inches high, and the lateral shoots also as they 

 require it. 



They must be shifted into larger pots when the roots penetrate 

 through the ball and reach the sides of the pot : 6-inch pots may be 

 used for this shift, or a few of the stronger plants may be put into 

 8-inch pots. The compost for this shift may be of a rougher nature, 

 and have the addition of some well-rotted dung mixed with it, as also 

 a layer over the crocks. In potting, ram the soil moderately firm 

 round about the ball. If potted loosely they never thrive well ; the 

 soil acts like a sponge in retaining too much water, which soon sours 

 it. The plants must still be kept in heat, and unless wanted to 

 bloom early, the flowers should be picked off as they appear. If 

 large plants are wanted, they must be encouraged by further shifting 

 into larger pots, and by August good large specimens may be grown. 



