352 THE GARDENER. [Aug. 



ing. The young shoots are sure to be injured more or less if allowed 

 to twist round wires. 



Dipladenias do best when allowed to ramble and twine to string at 

 will. Care should be taken that each shoot, if only a few inches apart, 

 is supplied with a separate support. 



Propagation is best effected by means of cuttings in the early 

 spring. The young wood, when a few inches in length, will strike 

 freely if numbers are inserted in a 6-inch pot, or singly in small pots, 

 and plunged in brisk bottom-heat, and a bell-glass placed over them. 

 When rooted, the young plants should be potted in small pots ; if 

 rooted singly in small pots, so much the better. If, on the other hand, 

 a number are put in one pot, they must be potted as soon as the for- 

 mation of roots has commenced. Care must be taken of the young 

 plants after potting ; if they receive a check, they do not start into 

 growth for a very long time, and in some cases do no good afterwards. 

 They must be grown on in bottom-heat, and liberal attention bestowed 

 on them. They will grow rapidly when once fairly started ; and by 

 the end of the season will make nice young plants, provided they 

 are rooted early, which is important. The young plants are best 

 in a temperature during winter of 58° to 60°, according to the external 

 atmosphere ; and then with increased light and moisture, after the com- 

 mencement of the year, the young plants will soon start freely into 

 growth. If the plants grow well the first seaons, they will before 

 winter be well established in 6-inch pots. After they begin to root 

 freely, they should be transferred into 8- or 9-inch pots, using a com- 

 post of two-thirds fibry peat, one-third of fibry loam, with lumps of 

 charcoal mixed, a dash of small bones, and plenty of coarse white sand 

 to keep the whole porous. 



The wood made the first season should be laid as much horizontally 

 as possible, so that as many young shoots can be encouraged to lay a 

 proper foundation for a good quantity of wood the following season. 

 As the young shoots extend themselves, they will show flower-spikes 

 from the axils of the leaf, and as they continue growing, will keep 

 flowering over a lengthened period of time. Should it be deemed neces- 

 sary to repot the plant a second time in the season, if the 8- or 9-inch 

 pots are well filled with roots, and the plant is making rapid progress, 

 the operation can be performed, but not later than the middle of July, 

 so that the plant will be thoroughly established before the winter sets in. 



Another particular point that must not be lost sight of in the success- 

 ful management of Dipladenias is, they do not like being disturbed at 

 the roots. In repotting, the crocks only must be carefully removed, and 

 any loose soil that may exist on the surface of the ball. If the soil re- 

 commended is of a good fibry nature, and sufficient materials used to 

 keep it open, the watering carefully attended to, which is absolutely 

 necessary, the compost will not be in a sour condition for a very long 

 time. 



