274 NIAV l'I,\NTS, KTC, 



The seeds, when received from INfr. Pentland in the middle of 

 October, 1848, were sown in shallow pans, well drained, in a 

 mixture of equal parts of sandy loam and fibry peat, and placed 

 in a close warm pit, remaining- for ten days without receiving- any 

 water after sowing. Afterwards they were slightly sprinkled as 

 the soil became dry on the surface, and at the end of about three 

 months of such treatment the young plants began to make their 

 appearance, in the latter part of January. When the seedlings 

 had made a couple of rough leaves they were carefully removed, 

 and placed singly in three-inch pots (small sixtys), potting them 

 in a mixture composed of equal parts of sandy loam, fibry peat, 

 and well decayed leaf movdd, and after a copious watering were 

 returned to the close pit, where they soon began to grow freely. 

 Wlien the young plants were well established a moderate portion 

 of air was given over head, by pushing down the light a little at 

 the top ; and this treatment was continued until the latter part of 

 the following autunni, when the plants were removed to a close 

 pit with rather a drier atmosphere, more light, and a temperature 

 from 50° to 55° by night. Subsequently the plants were shifted 

 as they required it into larger pots, using the same kind of 

 compost as before. As the specimens grew up they showed little 

 tendency to form lateral branches, but became straight stemmed 

 with hardly a side shoot. To counteract this as much as 

 possible, I endeavoured to cause the plants to become bushy, 

 first by pinching off the leading points of two plants while in a 

 very young state ; but that operation threw the plants into a bad 

 state of health, and one of them eventually died. The other 

 plants Avere allowed to grow for another season, and when the 

 wood became hard or ripe, two more had their leading points 

 removed, but with little better success. The remainder had at 

 the same time their leading points tied down in a circular form, 

 which in most cases caused the plant to throw out lateral 

 branches. AVhen the wood of these laterals again became firm, 

 or what is termed about three-parts ripe, they were again tied 

 down and allowed to remain so until the wood became set in a 

 curved form, after which t!ie ties were removed and the plant 

 allowed its full motion, for I found if the branches were kept con- 

 stantly tied down the plants became unhealthy, and in some cases 

 even perished. By a continuation of this treatment I obtained 

 the fine plant \\hich flowered in the Society's Garden, having 

 twelve panicles of flowers on the points of the lateral branches by 

 the first week in September, 1852. 



In cultivation I find this plant is easily injured by exposure to 

 dry or cold draughts of air, for it is very impatient of direct cur- 

 rents and bright sunshine. For the Calisaya, as for many other 

 plants which are diflftcult to manage in cultivation, nothing is 



