ACACIA. 
Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 
17 
brought forward in heat. Acacias are 
amongst the most easy of hard-wooded 
plants to grow, being of a most vigorous 
habit, not suffering seriously from a little 
inattention in withholding water, or from 
a little too much water at other times, 
_ which, in the case of many hard-wooded 
things subject to pot culture would be 
almost certain to cause death. Neither are 
they particular as to soil, as they will 
succeed in either peat or loam, but the 
latter is the most suitable, and in it their 
natural free disposition to flower is still 
further increased. They strike freely from 
cuttings, which may be put in at any time 
during the spring or summer, the former 
being preferable. Ifat the beginning of 
April the points of the shoots, about three 
inches in length, are put two or three 
inches apart in pans filled with sand, kept 
warm, moist, and covered with a propagat- 
ing glass, they will root in six or eight 
weeks sufficiently to bear moving into 
3-inch pots, for which loam, reduced 
to a fine state, with some sand and a little 
rotten manure, should be used. Pinch out 
the points and keep in an intermediate 
temperature to get them established, using 
a little shade when the sun is powerful, 
but letting them have plenty of light, with 
a moderate amount of air. Syringe over- 
head when the house is closed in the after- 
noons, with a liberal supply of water to 
the roots as soon as they have got well 
hold of the soil. By the end of July move 
into 5 or 6 inch pots, at the same time 
stopping the strongest shoots, and treating 
as before until the end of August. Then 
give more air, and cease shading and 
syringing, so as to get the growth solidified 
before the days become short ; keep them 
through the winter at a greenhouse tem- 
perature, and about the end of March stop 
the shoots, and give 8-inch pots, now 
using soil a little more lumpy. Let the 
drainage be efficient, as Acacias are thirsty 
subjects ; and provision must be made to 
ensure the large quantities of water they 
require passing freely off. Add sand in 
bal ganes to the nature of the loam, but 
et 1t contain enough to prevent any ten- 
dency to become adhesive. Ram the soil 
firmly into the pots ; at once train out all 
the strongest branches in a_ horizontal 
position, bringing them well down, place 
in a light house, or pit, and do not give too 
much air for a few days, or allow them to 
suffer by going too long without water. 
As the sun gets more power syringe every 
bright afternoon, getting well under the 
leaves. As these plants are subject to red 
spider, they require attention in this matter 
all through the growing season, for although 
their leaves are not tender, or so soon in- 
jured as in the case of many things, still, 
when the spider has once been established 
upon them, they do not soon regain their 
fresh appearance. Give plenty of air 
through the summer, but no shade will be 
absolutely required ; yet a little in the 
middle of the day in bright weather will 
do no harm if the plants happen to be 
grown with others that need it. When the 
roots have got fairly hold of the new soil 
the plants make rapid growth, and should 
be stopped as soon as they have made 
shoots about six inches in length, and any 
that are stronger than the rest be tied out 
so as to equalise the strength. At the 
beginning of August give plenty of air in 
the night as well as in the day, but con- 
tinue the use of the syringe until Septem- 
ber, after which there is not much to be 
feared from red spider. The plants will 
not now push much growth. Keep them 
as cool through the autumn and winter as 
can be done without danger of frost. If 
they are required, a portion may be had in 
flower by the middle of March. _ For this 
purpose they must some time before be 
placed in a temperature of 50° in the day 
time, and should be kept near the light. 
They ought not to be subjected to more 
heat than this, as it is quite sufficient to 
bring them into bloom, and it is not desir- 
able to excite growth. When in flower 
they can be moved to the conservatory, 
where they will have a nice appearance 
for a month ; if flowers are wanted, the 
strongest shoots can be cut and the 
remainder shortened back as soon as the 
flowering is over. The plants that have 
been let to come on of their own accord 
will succeed the others, and when they 
have bloomed may in like manner have 
all their shoots shortened back. The 
young growth will break in a few weeks, 
after which the whole, early and late 
flowered, may be potted. They will bear 
moving into 12 or 13 inch pots. This may 
appear a large shift, but their strong free- 
growing nature is such as to do with 
plenty of room, and it is better to get them 
on whilst young than to keep them back. 
Pot as before, and tie well out, being care- 
ful to furnish the base to the rims of the 
pots, and continue to bring down the 
strongest shoots ; treat as in the preceding 
summer as to air, light, water at the roots, 
and continued syringing overhead. By 
the beginning of August those that were 
brought into flower early will have com- 
pleted their growth (they will not require 
stopping this season, as they will now be 
sufficiently furnished with abundance of 
shoots, and will look all the better when 
