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JOtlBNAli OP HOETICUXTURE AND ' COT^AIgE GABDENER. 



[ Hr»T 8, i9«r 



to 45" from firD heat, and put them as far from the heating 

 apparatus and as near the glass as possible, and where the air 

 is admitted into the house. Air must be given wlienovor the 

 weather is mild. If the plants arc kept near the heated surface 

 the air is too dry for them, and aphia is the oonsecpience ; if 

 they are not near the glass they become drawn, and if they are 

 not afforded enough of air they will mildew, damp-off, grow 

 lank, and flaR with the first gleam of sunshine. 



By tlie middle of October the jdants in six-inch pots which 

 have tilled these with roots should ha-e their blooming pots, 

 and this refers to the earliest sown. Kight-iueh pots are a 

 good .size, and large euough for plants to bloom in, as these will, 

 in February or March. Those in smaller pots should have a 

 shift, say from 4J to fi-inch pots, in October ; in December they 

 will need 8-iuch pots, which they will fill by the end of .January, 

 and they may then have lO-ineh pots, which are large enough. 

 In this way they are to be grown on until they are jdaced in 

 their blooming pots, and when these become full of roots liquid 

 manure once or twice a-week is applied instead of allordiug 

 another shift. 



Seed may also ho sown in August for late-blooming plants. 

 From the lime they make their appearance the seedlings are 

 never allowed to stand still. They are potted off, repotted, 

 and all the while kept growing slowly up to the time of bloom- 

 ing, and that is the grand secret in growing Cinerarias. 



Feom OXF.SET.S OR SccRKTS. — When the plants have done 

 blooming the flower-stems should be cut away to within an 

 inch or two of the soil, and they should then be placed in a 

 frame and fumigated with tohacco, as there is generally plenty 

 of apliis. The frame being kept close and moist, suckers will 

 be freely produced; when they appear give abundance of air 

 until they are of a size fit f"r potting, then pot them directly 

 into small pots, and keep them dose and sliiuled until esta- 

 blished, afterwards admit air, and treat them in the same 

 manner as seedlings, only they will not grow so rapidly, and will 

 never be so robust. The first suckers may be taken off in .Jime, 

 or e.arly in .July, and these, potted then in three-inch pots, will 

 require a shift in six weeks, another shift six weeks later, and by 

 October they will be in six-inch pots, and be ready for shifting 

 into their blooming pots. These plants will flower early. For 

 general spring-bloom, plants are obtained from suckers taken 

 off in August from plants which after blooming were turned out 

 into the open ground, in a moist, shady situation. Such suckers 

 are to he potted and idaced in a frame, kept close and moist 

 until established, then hardened off, and the lights drawn off 

 whenever the weather is mild, and kept over them tilted when 1 

 it is very wet, or dry and hot. They must be potted on as ! 

 they require it, and they will need a shift early in September, 

 which should be into pots -tj iuches in diameter. If tlie lights 

 over them are tilted day and night, the plants will grow strong ' 

 and stocky, and will not be so apt to run as those exposed to all 

 weathers. In the evening a sjirinkling of water resembUnga 

 slight shower will do them good. Keep the soil moist, and do 

 not allow them to stand too clo^e together, allow room between 

 each 'or light and air. Continue them in the frame until the 

 nights become cold, and the air damp, then remove them to the 

 lightest and most airy situation which the greenhouse affords ; 

 placing them on a shelf so as to be about a foot from the glass 

 is best. This will be towards the end of October, and as the 

 atmosphere of greenhouses is often much drier than that of 

 frames and pits, a gentle bedewing of the foliage in the morn- 

 ings of bright days will be of advantage ; but unless the day bo 

 such that air can be given, it must be omitted. 



If there is the convenience of a pit affording accommodation 

 for the jilauts at 1 foot from the glass, and provided with 

 means fur air being given whenever tJie external temperature 

 exceeds oV. aid having a hot-water pipe or two in front to keep 

 the tcmperiitine liom falling below 35°, and also to promote a 

 cir. ulatiou (if nir in dull, damp weather, that is tlie most suit- 

 able plaie of all for Cinerarias. 



The plants should have a shift prior to beLi;g removed from 

 the frames to the giccuhouse, or if kept iu pits, the second 

 shift is to be given iu the second week in October, always bear- 

 ing in mind lliat they are not to be shifted into larger pots 

 until t'lose in which they arc a» the time are full of roots. The 

 plants will run for flower, luid as it is not desirable to have 

 them all alike, the points may he taken out at the third joint, 

 though .some plants may be left unstopped, and will have all 

 the flower.s.Qu a single .stem. Ilie stopping will induce side 

 shoots, three ormcire, and as tlieje grow the largo leaves should 

 lie pegg^ doA\-n,.sOja;^„to keep, the centre of the plants clear, 

 which will caiise the shoots resulting from stopping to become 



strong. Be careful not to OTer-water, and be very particular 

 not to allow the plants to suffer from drjness, or the loss of 

 the best leaves will bo the consequence. When the shoots have 

 made four joints peg them down, and take out their pointt 

 above the fourth leaf of the last growUi ; by this time they 

 will require eight-inch pots, and that will be early in .lanu&ry. 

 The plants will now grow rapidly, and if the shoots still come 

 strong and make three joints without flower showing in the 

 axils of the leaves, and the pots are full of roots, shift into 

 ll-inch pots, pegging down the shoots towards the sides of the 

 pot, but not so as to break them, and take out their points at 

 the third joint. 



If the plants are required to bo grown in eight-inch pots, and 

 if the shoots produced are still strong, and do not show for 

 bloom, they may be stopped at the third joint, pegging or tying 

 them down as in the case of those potted into larger pots, and 

 water once a-week with weak liquid manure. Should the plants 

 ^how for bloom, the shoots must not be stopped, but be tied out 

 to neat deal stakes painted green, and remember that the shoots 

 must not be huddled together or two tied to one stake, but so 

 distribute tlie stakes that every stem shall be so far from its 

 neighbour as to allow of each displaying its head of bloom ; and 

 aim at a close, flat liead, and yet not so close as to have some 

 flowers liiding more than those seen. Allow room enough, so 

 that the plants may have light and air on every side, and turn 

 them round frequently, if inclined to become lop-sided, for 

 nothing is more ugly in a Cineraria. The plants stopped should 

 be staked out, stojiping ought to be discontinued, and regu- 

 lating and tying out the shoots must be attended to frequently. 



AVheu the pots become full of roots, water once a-week with 

 liquid manure, and as the plants advance for blooming it may 

 be given at every alternate watering, until the flowers have for 

 the most part fuUy expanded, when water only is best. To- 

 wards blooming a slight shade from bright sun is advantageous, 

 and the beauty of the plants when in bloom will he much pro- 

 longed if the roof lie sliaded from sun by a covering of tiffany ; 

 they should also be well attended to as regards watering. 



Suckers taken off iu September will make small plants for 

 blooming in April, and larger ones maj' be obtained by stop- 

 ping them up to March, and shifting them in the first week of 

 that month into their blooming pots. The latter will bloom 

 in May and .June. The temperature for growing plants should 

 never exceed 4.5° from fire lieat, and to grow them slowly it 

 should be from 40' to 45°. They will sustain no injury in a 

 temperature as low as 35°. For plants coming, into flower a 

 temperature of 50°, and not exceeding 5o° from fire heat, is 

 essential. Air, whenever the external air will permit of its 

 being given, cannot be too hberalh- afforded, nor can they be 

 kept too cool if only protected from frost. If allowed to be- 

 come pot-bound they start for bloom, and then specimens can- 

 not be expected. Moisture with air they flourish in ; but a 

 moist stagnant atmosphere brings mildew and ajdiis, and a dry 

 atmosphere, even with air, causes the leaves to curl tlirougn 

 the attacks of aphides; and if dry from fire heatthrips appear 

 on the scene. If the jdants suffer from want of water the 

 foliage becomes miserably poor. 



IxsKCTS. — Green fly is the most troublesome. The honse, 

 pit, or frame should be smoked with tobacco whenever an in- 

 sect is seen, taking care to let the smoke reach the plants cool, 

 and to have their foliage dry. It is a good plan to fumigate 

 every fortnight by way of precaution, and even if this be done 

 once" a-week it will not be labour in vain. Should the plants 

 become much infested, smoke on two consecutive evenings, and 

 syringe the plants in the morning forcibly, but not so as to break 

 tiie leaves, laying the pots on their sides and then turning tlvj 

 plants so as to give a thorough cleansing. Thrips are t<^ be 

 dealt with in the same manner. 



Black fly is frequently a most troublesome pest on ronng 

 plants. Fse the following wash :— A pound of soft soap and a 

 quarter of a pound of tobacco placed in a gallon of boiling 

 water, stirred until tlie soft soap dissolves, and then covered 

 over and allowed to stand uutil cool, when it is 'o be strained, 

 adding five gallons of soft water. Iu this the }ihints are to be 

 immersed with tlieir heads downwards. It is an excellent wash 

 for vouug plants infested with this pest, thrips, or green fly, 

 and "drawing the suckors through the mixture priot to potting 

 frees them of these pests. It must not be'tised for plKBttr 

 showing for bloom. ■. , - i , 



Snails and slugs make great havoc among the seedlings and 

 offsets ; the succulent leaves of the Cineraria they always like. 

 Lay fresh Cabbage leaves near the plants at night, and on ex- 

 amining them in the morning on the under side of the leave9 



