1870.] A PLEA FOR THE PENTSTEMON. 553 



amount of trouble, for which there is no return except in the case of 

 valuable varieties, from which it is as desirable to obtain as much stock 

 as possible ; and in this case it is best to take them up in October, put 

 them in large pots with plenty of drainage and poor sandy soil, and 

 house them in a cool greenhouse or airy pit. From these, cuttings 

 may be taken at the end of September, and again from the end of 

 February till May ; so that if a thousand plants are wanted, and there 

 is but one to begin with, it may be done in time to plant them all in 

 the following May." 



" As there are some mystical notions abroad as to the multiplication 

 of Pentstemons, and some of the trade aver that they find a difficulty 

 in propagating them, I will give to all mankind in one word a code 

 for their management that cannot be misunderstood. That it may be 

 remembered the better I shall print it in italics ; and if you think it 

 scarcely worth being so distinguished, I hope you will take my word 

 for it that you are quite incompetent to estimate the value of the code 

 or the necessity for its publication. Well, here it is, twenty words in 

 all, and they will be worth a <£20 note to many a nurseryman who 

 has been baffled in the multiplication of Pentstemons ; let amateurs 

 set what value they please upon them. Grow them, keep them, and, 

 increase them in precisely the same manner as you groic, keep, and 

 increase shrubby Calceolarias" 



" You will observe that as the plants go out of bloom they throw up 

 from the base a multitude of lively green shoots. Take these off, 

 trim away the lowest leaves, and dip them into pots filled with very 

 sandy stuff of any loamy or peaty kind, and quite poor. Place these 

 pots in a frame or pit ; shade them from strong sunshine ; sprinkle 

 frequently, but never let the soil be otherwise than very moderately 

 moist ; if nearly dry, it will be much safer than nearly wet. They 

 will soon hold up their heads, and it will be well to expose them fully 

 to the weather as soon as they are able to bear it, but take care not to let 

 them be drenched with heavy rains. Keep them safe from frost all 

 winter, and keep them also safe from damp, and for the rest you will 

 guess how to manage. In the event of requiring large quantities, make 

 up beds in frames, using gritty leaf -mould, loam, cocoa-nut dust, and 

 sand in about equal proportions, and out of this mixture they will 

 lift with fine roots next spring. Plants raised in this way may be 

 planted out in April, and all they need is a good loamy soil and a 

 sunny position. It will be a strange thing if they want a single drop 

 of water the whole season, except it may be just after being planted, if 

 the weather happens to be dry." 



The excellent and pithy instructions given in these three paragraphs 

 are so suitable for amateur cultivators that I may be excused repro- 



