58 
each leaf-stalk—as this sometimes has the 
effect of causing it to damp off. As the 
plants go on the lower leaves will decay 
and fall off, leaving a considerable length 
of bare stem that will show a disposition 
to throw out roots; if, when these appear 
in the summer, a little sphagnum moss is 
tied round the stem just under the leaves, 
the roots will quickly push into it ; the 
crown may then be cut off just under the 
roots, placed in a pot proportionate in 
size, and treated as advised with the 
smaller crowns, when it will soon get 
established. The stool that remains will 
push up several growths, as there is a 
dormant eye at the point where each leaf 
has been produced. These can either be 
taken off and grown singly in pots, or may 
be allowed to remain intact, if preferred. 
Each spring, just as the plants are be- 
ginning to grow, they should be turned 
out, and as much of the old worn-out soil 
removed as can be got away without break- 
ing the roots; and when they have occu- 
pied pots as large as already advised they 
may be placed in the same with fresh soil. 
Insects.—This Ataccia is little troubled 
with insects, its juices appearing to be of 
too crude a nature to be congenial to their 
tastes. Thrips may sometimes, though very 
rarely, make their appearance on the backs 
of the leaves, and can easily be destroyed 
by syringing. Should greenfly be trouble- 
some, it is best dealt with by fumigation. 
AZALEA. 
Of all the greenhouse plants in cultiva- 
tion, either as specimens for the exhibition 
stage, for conservatory decoration, or simply 
grown for producing cut flowers, there are 
few that equal the Azalea, especially if its 
excellent constitution and its immunity 
from disease, when fairly treated, are taken 
into account. In regard to propagation, 
taking all things into account, it is better 
to use grafted plants ; some of the stronger- 
growing varieties will certainly do well on 
their own roots, but they are not so long- 
lived, and by far the greater number do 
much better when grafted. The object in 
view ought to be to grow them up to some- 
thing like the size required as quickly as 
possible; such plants are always more 
likely to live and bloom satisfactorily than 
those that have been grown slowly and 
indifferently, and hence the necessity of 
having free-growing young plants. On no 
account commence with such as are at all 
stunted, either through haying been too 
long in small pots, or having been kept too 
cold in the winter. We would much 
rather have a newly-grafted plant, which, 
Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 
AZALEA, 
with proper treatment, will grow away and 
far outstrip plants that are stunted, and 
we prefer those that have a few strong 
vigorous shoots to those that have had 
their shoots stopped so as to form close 
bushy plants. 
When they are to be raised from cut- 
tings, these should be-put in before the 
wood gets brown, or near maturity. Shoots 
in the right condition will usually be ob- 
tainable from plants that have flowered 
and made growth early in spring, by June. 
Slip them off with a heel and trim the 
base ; put six or eight together in 6-inch 
pots, filled with sand, kept moist, close, 
and shaded in an ordinary stove tempera- 
ture. They will be rooted in seven or 
eight weeks so as to admit of their being 
moved singly into little pots ; use fine peat 
and sand, and keep still a little close, with 
as much warmth as hitherto, so as to get 
their roots to move freely. Pinch out the 
points to cause several shoots to break. As 
the autumn advances give more air and. 
less shade, wintering in a temperature of 
45° to 50°. In spring move them into 
5-inch pots ; when the shoots have grown 
3 inches again pinch out the points, keeping 
the plants in intermediate warmth through 
the summer. If young grafted plants are 
required, the stocks—any strong-growing 
variety—should be raised in the way above 
advised, except that they should not be 
stopped, and should be confined to a single 
shoot, which, if grown on freely as recom- 
mended, will be ready for grafting about 
the beginning of August, when a year old. 
Select soft bits of stout shoots of the kinds 
to be grown, remove the lower leaves, and 
pare the bark and a little of the wood off 
one side for about an inch; treat the 
soft part of the top of the stock similarly, 
so as to fit the edges of the bark of each 
together, and in this position bind them 
with worsted. Kept warm, close, moist, 
and shaded, they will unite in a few weeks, 
when give more air. Slacken the ties when 
this is necessary, and remove any growth 
the stock may make, so as to direct all its. 
energies into the graft, the point of which 
pinch out to cause it to break several 
shoots. Whether’ the plants used are 
grafted, or from cuttings, the treatment 
from henceforth will be similar. Do not 
winter them in a lower temperature than 
45° or 50° by night. They will make little 
or no perceptible progress through the 
winter months, but so treated they will 
cast very few leaves, and their roots will 
be at work; such plants will make more 
progress the ensuing summer than those 
that have been starved through the winter 
will do in two seasons. Towards the be. 
