55Q THE GARDENER. [Dec. 



Propagation. — This is effected cither by dividing the roots, or ■by- 

 offsets, and by seed when it is desired to obtain new varieties. First, 

 allow lis to discuss its culture from seed. Some people recommend 

 sowing the seed in July, just a few weeks after it has ripened. And 

 their mode of procedure is to hang up the stems, with the seeds still 

 in the pods, until sowing time, enclosing the whole in light paper 

 bags to prevent accident. Our own plan has been somewhat different 

 to that, inasmuch as we sow the seed in December, and place the 

 pots or pans on a shelf in a cool house, where the seeds soon vegetate 

 and grow steadily and prosperously. The seedlings are planted se- 

 parately as soon as they can be safely handled, putting them in lines 

 again into boxes, and replacing them on the shelf or under frames 

 in a warm sheltered exposure. The soil ought to be principally rich 

 loam, rather inclining to clay than sand, with, in addition, a liberal 

 proportion of much-reduced cow-manure and rotten leaves ; drain the 

 boxes well, and any amount of water may be given them with impu- 

 nity after the seedlings have taken to the new soil. On the occasions 

 of bright sunshine, never fail to afford effective shade, and sprinklings 

 of water. A dry atmosphere is sadly unfavourable to their health and 

 growth. 



General Culture. — Out of doors the Polyanthus will be found very 

 accommodating. The aspect that suits it best is quite the opposite of 

 most other plants. Give it a shady corner of the garden, with mois- 

 ture beneath, without the soil being soused ; neither is it fond of the 

 drip from trees, which does not hurt the plants themselves so much as 

 the flowers. Plant in lines, after the bed has been enriched with 

 manure, and otherwise well prepared. The row^s of plants should be 

 one foot apart, and the plants stand nine inches in the row. As may 

 be expected, few flowers will appear until the end of the succeeding 

 summer, but the plants will be all the more benefited by that. The 

 folloAving spring will well repay the delay by the display of blossom 

 and the vigour of the plants too. Thus much about beds — let us now 

 consider, in a few sentences, their culture in pots. 



It is only required to plant singly into small pots the strongest of 

 the seedlings when pricking out the others into boxes or pans. The 

 same soil and attention to drainage is necessary — only, instead of 

 returning these to the shelf on which they germinated, quarter them 

 in a cold frame, plunged in sawdust, sand, or coal-ashes. By the 

 beginning of summer those plants will be established in their pots, 

 and in all probability will require a larger shift ; this should not be 

 neglected a day after it is necessary, it being very important that they 

 experience no restraint by insufficiency of nourishment, or getting 

 cramped at the roots. When potted, plunge the plants on the shady 



