:320 THE GARDENER. [July 



necessary supply of water. A good compost may be made up of 

 equal parts of strong turfy loam and fibry peat or leaf-mould, with as 

 much sharp sand as will make it moderately porous. An occasional 

 -dose of liquid manure may with advantage be given, during the grow- 

 ing season, in cases where the pot is full of roots and the soil to some 

 extent exhausted : in no other circumstances will this be necessar}'-, as 

 undue luxuriance is prejudicial to the abundant production of bloom. 

 It is readily propagated by suckers or olFsets, which, taken off at any 

 season, soon take root and grow freely. Among a number of varieties, 

 Albus and Variegatus, the one with white flowers and the other with 

 variegated leaves, are the finest, and form interesting companions to 

 the species. Omega. 



SWAINSONIAS. 



As greenhouse Climbers, these are beautiful and elegant plants, and 

 very useful for cutting, and where there is a large demand for cut- 

 iiowers, they should be grown largely. They thrive best planted out in 

 a border of good fibry loam and peat in equal parts, rather lumpy, 

 with a dash of silver sand, all well mixed together. Particular atten- 

 tion should be paid to the drainage of the border, so that there is no 

 stagnant water, which is very injurious to this plant. If the plants 

 are young, and the roots not matted, they may be planted without 

 disturbing the roots much ; but a medium-sized plant with a quantity 

 of roots matted round the side of the pot should be carefully loosened 

 with a pointed stick, laying the roots out much in the same way as 

 Vines are planted. Water should be given sparingly at the first until 

 the roots have got hold of the fresh soil, which will soon be known by 

 the plants beginning to grow strong and freely. Let them be syringed 

 twice a-day throughout the summer, as, if kept in too dry an atmos- 

 phere, or dry at the roots, red-spider is apt to attack them, causing 

 much of the foliage to drop. As the autumn advances, water more 

 sparingly, but not so that the plants suffer, giving no more through the 

 winter than will keep the soil in a medium state of moisture until the 

 following spring. When they show signs of starting into fresh growth, 

 remove all the loose soil from the top of the border, being careful not 

 to injure the roots, giving in return a top-dressing of fresh compost 

 similar to that recommended for planting in at first. They will grow 

 very rapidly the second year, and soon cover a large space of back wall, 

 for which they are well adapted, and will flower freely if all has gone 

 well previously. They strike freely in sand and leaf -mould under a 

 bell-glass. A. H. 



