276 THE GARDENER. [June 



the morning and evening. There they are regularly supplied with 

 water. If young plants are required from the old roots in autumn, 

 they require as much attention in watering as when they were bloom- 

 ing in the conservatory (indeed, any stint of water will make shorter 

 work of their leaves even than the maggot). The plants soon begin 

 to push new leaves, and make nice stools for selecting young plants 

 from in autumn. We divide them as soon as we can get plants. 

 We pot them singly in 3-inch pots. I don't believe in smaller pots, 

 as they are apt to get dry too quickly unless they are plunged. A 

 very good way is to plunge them in ordinary wooden cutting-boxes, 

 where such are at command. After potting, w^e place them in a cold 

 pit, keeping them close and shaded until they begin to move again, 

 when air is admitted gradually until the lights are drawn off entirely 

 through the day, putting them on and tilting them well up during the 

 night if the air is not frosty they cannot get too much of it. We 

 keep them in the cold pits as long as there is no danger from very 

 severe frosts. They are afterwards taken to a light airy part of the 

 greenhouse, where they get a shower overhead every fine morning. 

 They are kept in a group by themselves, as many of our other plants 

 in the same structure do not care for a shower in winter. But the 

 Cinerarias are greatly benefited by it ; their leaves, as well as their 

 roots, delight in moisture. When the weather admits of sufficient 

 ventilating to dry up the moisture, w^e do not syringe them if the 

 weather is unfavourable. As soon as flowers begin to develop on 

 them, they are distributed among the other subjects of the conserva- 

 tory. We always endeavour to shift them when the roots are entering 

 the drainage. This may be ascertained by placing one hand on the 

 top of the soil in the pot, then turning it bottom upwards and lifting 

 the pot off, replacing it again without disturbing even a crock ; it 

 will settle into its pot again by a single rap on the stage. The soil 

 I use is good turfy loam and old hot-bed manure, consisting of half 

 leaves, half stable-manure. We use this and the loam in about equal 

 quantities, adding sufficient river-sand to keep it open. I may add 

 that good drainage is as essential for the Cineraria as for any other 

 class of plants. The above treatment being carefully carried out, we 

 have seldom been troubled with maggot. We keep a very sharp look- 

 out for them, and whenever we see one, we destroy them by placing 

 the forefinger below the leaf, and bringing the thumb nail to bear on 

 them from above, with little, if any, damage to the leaf. By thus 

 checking every appearance, they have never given us much annoyance. 

 We have always abundance of leaves ; in fact, we generally thin them. I 

 am of opinion that if something like the foregoing treatment is strictly 

 attended too, pests of every description will give very little trouble. 



