POLYGALA. 
but as ordinary decorative subjects. That 
they are not more generally grown seems 
strange, as their colour (bright reddish- 
purple) is scarce among hardwooded plants, 
and their appearance is distinct, either in 
or out of flower, from most things requiring 
a similarity of temperature and general 
cultural treatment. They are also of 
much easier growth than many hard- 
wooded subjects, not being liable to get out 
of health or go off suddenly. They are 
plants that we should recommend to be- 
ginners in the cultivation of hardwooded 
greenhouse species, who sometimes get dis- 
heartened by first attempting to grow the 
most difficult things, which often slip 
through the fingers of even those who have 
had long practice, and have patiently studied 
their peculiar habits and requirements. 
Polygalas are very free rooters, and not 
nearly so impatient of slight excess of 
moisture at the roots as many Cape plants 
are. They. will grow in either loam or 
fibrous sandy peat, but we prefer peat 
where it can be had of anything like good 
quality. 
They strike freely from cuttings of the 
young shoots, about 3 inches long, which 
may be taken off in spring. Put several 
together in 6-inch pots filled with sand, 
keep in a moderate heat, moist, shaded, 
and covered with a propagating glass ; so 
treated they will root in five or six weeks, 
after which dispense with the glasses, and 
move singly into small pots. Keep mode- 
rately close, standing them on a moist 
bottom, give a little shade in the daytime, 
and as soon as shoot growth begins to move 
freely pinch out the points. Give more 
air as they get fully established, and 
syringe in the afternoons at closing time. 
Continue this treatment until autumn, 
when give more air, and winter at about 
45° in the nights. Towards March move 
into 3-inch pots, stop the shoots, and keep 
the atmosphere a little closer until the roots 
enter the new soil ; treat as in the preceding 
summer, about July again pinch out the 
points of the shoots, and stand the plants 
where they will get plenty of light. Let 
the autumn and winter management be as 
advised for the previous year, but about 
the middle of February shorten the shoots 
to within three inches of where they were 
stopped to in the summer, and place them 
in a house or light pit where they can be 
kept at a night temperature of 45°; here 
they will soon break, and by the middle of 
April will be in a condition for repotting. 
If they have plenty of roots they should 
receive a liberal shift—4 inches will not 
be too much. Break the peat into pieces 
about the usual size for young hardwooded 
Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 
291 
plants, add a good sprinkling of sand, and 
make the soil quite firm. At this season 
the sun is powerful and the air begins to 
get much drier than earlier, consequently 
they will require both shade in the middle 
of the day and the house kept closer, by 
the absence of side air, for two or three 
weeks ; the stage upon which they stand 
must also be regularly damped morning 
and afternoon, and the house closed while 
the sun is yet upon the glass. At this 
time the points of the strongest shoots 
should be brought down low so as to induce 
a compact bushy condition, with a disposi- 
tion to clothe the base of the plants well 
down to the bottom. After they have 
taken to the new soil, which will be ap- 
parent from their young shoots commenc- 
ing to grow freely, give air as ordinarily, 
and syringe overhead evexy evening: get 
the water well under the leaves and to 
every part of the plants, so as to keep down 
spider. By the beginning of July pinch 
out the points of the shoots, to induce them 
to break back ; attention to this matter is 
of more importance with Polygalas than 
most plants, as their natural upright 
disposition of growth, if not checked, in- 
duces a thin, straggling bottom, and, if 
not stopped in the summer, they will 
require cutting back in the winter to 
within the distance already prescribed for 
the previous year’s growth, which is a loss 
of time by reducing their size. Keep the 
shoots well spread out, and support them 
with a few nice sticks, so as to keep the 
young plants in shape without too much 
formality. As the pots get filled with 
roots the wetting of the surface of the ball 
consequent upon the syringing overhead 
makes ita little more difficult to ascertain 
the condition of the soil underneath as to 
water, and necessitates close observation 
in this matter: but they must not be 
allowed to get dry at the bottom of the 
ball, or growth will be seriously checked 
and insects encouraged, By the end of 
August the plants will be benefited by the 
admission of more air and the absence of 
shading, so as to harden them up for the 
winter, during which season keep them in 
a temperature of 40° or near it in the 
night. Again, about the end of February, 
as last season, cut back the shoots to within 
6 inches of where they were stopped in 
summer, and encourage them at once to 
push young growths by keeping a little 
closer, as recommended for last spring. 
Move at the same time as then advised, 
giving 8 or 4 inch larger pots, according to 
the strength and condition of the plants ; 
tie them out so as to secure a compact, 
shapely outline, and keep all the strongest 
