218 
Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 
IPOM@A, 
sand, kept moderately close and moist in 
a brisk .bottom heat, they will generally 
callus over at the base in about two months, 
and form roots in a similar length of time, 
but the most certain means of propagation, 
and generally the best for private growers, 
who only require a limited number of 
plants, is to layer the shoots. Those 
operated upon should be of the preceding 
summer’s growth, and of any convenient 
length, say 5 or 6 feet from the points ; if 
these are slightly notched through at a 
joint in the way Carnation layers are pre- 
pared, and pegged down into 4-inch pots, 
drained and filled with a mixture of half 
fibrous peat and loam, ‘the joint slightly 
covered with soil, and kept moderately 
moist, they will form roots enough to sup- 
port the shoot and allow of its being 
severed from the parent plant in ten or 
twelve weeks. The layering may be per- 
formed any time after the growth has at- 
tained moderate solidity in the autumn 
until spring. Where a fair amount of heat 
can be kept up through the winter the 
layering may take place in autumn, which 
will give time for the young plants to get 
established on their own roots by spring, 
in which case a considerable saving of time 
will be effected, which will enable them to 
make a full season’s growth. If layered 
so as to get well rooted in the spring, they 
will bear moving by the end of May into 
6 or 7 inch pots, but it is not advisable to 
give too much root-room, as the plant is 
naturally much slower in growth than the 
generality of stove twiners or climbers, 
and it never attains anything near the size 
that most things do which luxuriate in 
strong heat; on this account it is much 
better adapted for stoves of limited extent 
than many plants that less deservedly are 
chosen. In no position will it better suc- 
ceed, or interfere less with the other occu- 
pants of the house, than run on two or 
three wires lengthways over the path; here 
its beautiful, distinct, and handsome rosy 
red flowers are seen to the best advantage. 
As soon as the plants commence to grow 
they must each have a neat stick, round 
which the shoots will twine, and when 
they have begun to extend freely they 
should be stopped back, so as to secure 
their breaking enough shoots to occupy 
the room at disposal in the place they are 
to fill. So far as their requirements of 
heat, air, shade, and moisture go, they will 
succeed with that given to the generality 
of plants grown in a warm stove; 65° in 
the night, with a rise of 10° in the day, 
during the spring and summer, will 
answer for them, but they must not be 
kept too cool through the last months of 
the year, or in January and February, 
which isthe usual time of their blooming 
—sooner or later, according to the heat 
maintained. Although the young plants 
will not flower much the first winter, it 
will be well to treat them in every way as 
if older. They will require little training 
after the shoots have once taken to twin- 
ing round the wires, except that each 
should be kept to its individual wire, for 
if they get entangled it will be difficult 
afterwards to separate them. Shade just 
sufficient to prevent the leaves scorching 
during very bright weather, but discon- 
tinue it as early in the autumn as it can 
be dispensed with, and keep the atmo- 
sphere drier. The soil should never be 
kept so wet as in the case of freer rooting 
plants. By the end of March they will 
require moving into larger pots—about 12 
inches in diameter. If very good fibrous 
loam is to be had, we should give it the 
preference, but where this is not at hand 
peat should be used. The shoots may be 
at this time shortened back about one- 
fourth, which will induce their breaking 
several eyes; two or three growths may 
now be allowed to each wire. Increase 
the temperature as the days lengthen, but 
be careful not to give very much water to 
the roots until they have got fairly into 
the new soil; again commence syringing 
overhead in the afternoons, and continue 
to do so until the beginning of September, 
when shading also may be dispensed with. 
If a temperature similar to that advised 
has been kept up, the flowers will begin to 
form towards the close of the year; they 
open in succession for several weeks. If 
required they may be taken off singly and 
mounted for bouquets, as from their very 
distinct character they harmonise well 
with most other things. When the bloom- 
ing is over the plants can be kept some- 
what drier at the roots for a few weeks ; 
this will give them a rest, and afterwards. 
the shoots may be shortened back, and as 
soon as they have pushed fresh growth 
they should be moved into pots about 3 
inches larger than those they have already 
occupied, at the same time removing as 
much of the old soil from the upper por- 
tion of the ball as can be done without 
doing harm. Again water sparingly until 
the roots are fairly moving, as this Ipomcea 
always requires care in this respect, for if 
the soil gets at all saturated the roots are 
liable to perish, which would probably not 
cause the death of the plant, but would spoil 
the growth for a season, as it would take a 
considerable time to make fresh feeding 
fibres. Continue to treat as already ad- 
vised, both during the summer, when the 
