1873.] STOVE-PLANTS FOR EXHIBITION. 351 



a somewhat hackneyed expression, ''as green as a leek," but in reality- 

 much greener. It is needless to add that this plant created quite a 

 furore, not only among amateurs, but also among professional plant- 

 growers, who know a thing or two about these plants and their capa- 

 bilities when well managed. 



Dipladenias grow well in a fresh, open compost, composed of lumps 

 of turfy or fibrous loam, leaf-mould, and coarse river-sand. The pots 

 should be thoroughly well drained, and then the plants may be freely 

 watered when making their growth. They are easily propagated 

 from cuttings taken off soon after the plants break in the spring, 

 and inserted in a well-drained cutting-pot, which should afterwards be 

 plunged in a moderate bottom-heat and covered with a bell-glass, unless 

 the convenience of a close propagating case is at hand. After the cut- 

 tings have rooted, pot them off carefully in the above compost, using 

 small pots, and then set them in a close frame until well established, 

 after which they may be removed either to the plant-stove, or to a 

 shelf in the pinery where there is a stove-temperature, and a moderately 

 humid atmosphere. As the pots become filled with roots pot them 

 on, taking care not to allow them to suffer a check through being pot- 

 bound, as this might induce premature flowering, and spoil the plants 

 for the season. When the pots become filled with roots, and the shoots 

 3 or 4 feet long, they will begin to show their fiower-buds in the 

 axils of the leaves ; and at this stage a little clear manure-water made 

 from sheep or cow dung, and a handful of guano thrown in, will greatly 

 assist them in developing fine flowers, besides improving the colour of 

 the foliage. In order to prevent the shoots from intertwining them- 

 selves in inextricable confusion, it is a good plan to train each growth 

 on a separate piece of thick twine strained a few inches below the 

 rafters, thinning out all weak or superfluous runners at the same 

 time. When the flower-buds show themselves the twine can be cut, 

 and the shoots carefully trained on a globe, or balloon-shaped trellis, 

 ready for exhibition when the flowers expand. Two-year-old plants 

 are most to be relied on for exhibition, as for the early summer shows 

 the plants must be started into growth in December, or early in 

 January, and grown on rapidly to the flowering stage ; and young 

 plants are more vigorous, and grow on more freely than debilitated old 

 scrubby specimens, which persist in parting company with their lower 

 leaves, and assuming a " leggy " appearance not to be desired either 

 for exhibition or decorative purposes. The plants are seldom troubled 

 with insect pests if grown on freely in a humid atmosphere, but a 

 slight dryness at the root often gives both thrip and red-spider an 

 opportunity of commencing their ravages. The plants should be 

 syringed at least twice a-day when growing ; and if that is not sufficient 



