280 THE GARDENER. [June 



broken pots, and over that a little of the roughest of the soil; then fill 

 up nearly to the top of the pot; place three seeds in the centre "of each 

 pot, cover them slightly with earth, press it down rather firmly, and 

 place the pots in the window. In ten days the young plants should 

 be pushing through the soil, and as soon as they appear above ground 

 plenty of air should be given them. When the weather is fine, the 

 pots should be placed outside the window during the sunniest part of 

 the day, and a gentle shower occasionally given them from a rose water- 

 ing-pot if the weather be hot and dry ; if dull, a slight watering the 

 first thing in the morning will be found sufficient. When the plants 

 are large enough, pull out the two weakest ones, and leave the strong- 

 est, as this is to form the future tree. As it makes growth, place a 

 neat stick by the side of the plant, about a foot in length, tie it loosely 

 to this stick with a piece of fine matting, and do so as it increases in 

 height, and reaches the top of the stick, then replace it with a longer 

 one, if a long stem be desired ; that, however, is a matter of taste 

 merely. 



As soon as side-branches break forth from the stem of the plant, 

 slip them back to the second eye ; but avoid what some persons are apt 

 to do who do not appear to value the leaves, cutting the side-branches 

 back to the main stem. A naked, leafless trunk is scarcely in taste, 

 therefore leave as many leaves about it as possible the first year, so that 

 the stem may have a feathered appearance. 



And now comes the winter, during which the plants may be kept 

 pretty dry till they make young growth, when more than one-half of 

 the side-spurs should be cut away, beginning at the bottom, and only 

 taking off a pair at a time, and doing the same at intervals of a fort- 

 night. During the first year no bloom should be permitted to appear 

 on the trees ; the second year they should be allowed to bear flowers 

 after the middle of October, and all through the winter ; but up to 

 that time all flowering -buds should be plucked off as fast as they 

 appear. 



About midsummer shift the plants into a 5-inch pot, and give 

 them another and rather larger shift about the end of July, but never 

 shift the plants after August, as it would check them, and perhaps 

 destroy all one's hopes of what they might do in the future. 



J. C. 



