82 NAT. ORDER. — PERSONAT.E. 



There is a variety of this plant with small flowers. Several other 

 species of this genus are equally deserving of cultivation. 



Propagation and Ciiture. All of the plants contained in this 

 order succeed best in such soils as are rich, and rather inclined to 

 moisture. Tlie seeds should be sown in pots, of light fresh earth, 

 early in the spring, plunging them immediately in a moderate liot-bcd 

 of tan ; when the young plants appear they should be placed in 

 warm sheltered exposures until the autumn, when tliey require the 

 protection of frames and glasses, or of a good green-house, free air 

 being admitted when the weather will admit. After the plants have 

 attained sufficient growth in these situations, they may be removed 

 from the pots and planted out in the nursery, protection being given 

 them in the winter season when it proves severe. 



Some, however, prefer raising plants of this sort by setting the 

 cuttings of the young shoots early in the spring, in pots of the same 

 earth, plunging them in moderate hot-beds till they have stricken 

 full root, water and shade being occasionally given them, gradually 

 as the summer advances inuring them to the full air in order to 

 harden them. On the approach of autumn, they should be taken 

 under cover of some sort when the weather is severe. In the spring 

 following, they may be, if necessary, planted out where they are to 

 stand, or be put in the nursery ground. In all the kinds, the plants 

 raised from seeds are much longer before they produce flowers than 

 when they are propagated by layers or cuttings of the flowering 

 plants. 



The chief culture, after tlie plants are fully established, is that of 

 cutting out all the small, weak shoots of the preceding year, in the 

 winter season, and shortening the stronger ones to the length of 

 about two feet, in order to induce flowering shoots to be sent out for 

 the ensuing season. These plants are all of long duration, when 

 carefully managed. 



