320 
Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 
STATICE. 
growing through the dormant season at the 
same rate as In summer, but they require 
to be kept moving even in the winter much 
more than many plants do, or success will 
only be partial. In March move into 
6-inch pots, using the loam now with more 
vegetable fibre in it; keep closer for a 
few weeks, shade in the day when sunny, 
and again use the syringe overhead to 
keep the material on which the pots stand 
damp. After the plants begin to move 
freely give more air than in the previous 
summer, but in other matters treat as be- 
fore; as autumn advances dispense with 
shade and the use of the syringe, and 
winter in a temperature similar to the 
preceding, giving less water to the roots 
than in the summer, but never letting 
them get so dry as the generality of hard- 
wooded plants require to be in the dormant 
season. About the beginningof March plants 
managed as above directed will be in a fit 
state for moving into pots 2 inches larger. 
They do the best in good yellow turfy 
loam, not broken too fine ; nothing should 
be added to it except enough sand to keep 
it ina healthy porous condition. Statices 
require much more water than many oc- 
cupants of the greenhouse, and conse- 
quently they must be well drained. In 
potting make the new soil quite firm, and 
place them for a week or two where they 
will be a little close ; do not give too 
much water until the roots enter the new 
soil, but this advice must be accepted in a 
qualified sense, as they should never be 
allowed to get so dry as necessary for the 
well-being of many hardwooded things. 
Keep them near the light, but away from 
cold currents, and as the sun gets more 
powerful they will require a slight shade 
during the middle of the day, but never 
let it stay on longer than needful. 
Throughout the summer syringe overhead 
in the afternoons, getting well under the 
leaves to keep down spider, which, if 
allowed to establish itself, will soon do 
serious harm. They will continuously 
through spring and summer keep throwing 
up flower-stems, which at present it is 
advisable to remove as soon as they make 
their appearance. The nature of the 
plant’s growth does not admit of stopping, 
as in most things, neither is it necessary, 
for almost every flower-stem that is made 
divides in two the point of the shoot 
whence it springs, and by this means the 
plants, as growth proceeds, get fully fur- 
nished. In the hot summer weather they 
will make more progress stood on a bed of 
ashes or similar material than upon a dry 
shelf, as if not placed on some medium 
that can supply a moderate amount of 
moisture around them they suffer more 
than most things, as from the natural 
structure of the leaves evaporation is very 
great. As autumn approaches discontinue 
the use of the syringe and give plenty of 
air. Winter as advised the previous 
season, and if any flower-stems are made 
before spring remove them as they appear. 
In March again pot on ; now give a 3-inch 
shift, and use the soil a little more lumpy, 
and treat them this season as in the previous. 
in every respect except that where it is not 
the object to get the plants on in size 
without delay they may be allowed to 
flower, as they will now be very useful for 
decorative purposes in the conservatory or 
elsewhere. When in bloom they must not 
be syringed, as the least moisture will 
cause the flowers to damp, but when used 
in this way while young they should not 
be kept so long out of the growing house 
or pit, neither must the successional flowers 
that will from time to time make their 
appearance be allowed to remain or they 
will interfere with the growth. As the 
shoots lengthen sufficiently bring them 
down a little towards the rim of the pot— 
for this purpose a few sticks will be re- 
quired. The shoots are very liable to split 
out from the point whence they spring’ if 
much bent; to prevent this they should - 
be secured by a ligature of bast bound 
round the point of the juncture, which 
should be allowed to remain on for a short 
time after they are trained. Give treatment 
through the summer, autumn, and winter 
similar to that before advised. In spring 
pot about the same time, giving again a 
3-inch shift ; the plants will this summer, 
if all goes well, make nice half specimens, 
and should be allowed to flower until mid- 
summer, after which remove all the blooms. 
on them, as also all that push through the 
autumn, and encourage growth by atten- 
tion as up to this point directed. 
In potting the following spring they 
will require 18-inch pots; in these they 
may remain for two years, and should be 
given weak applications of manure-water 
once a week through the summer. When 
again moved into pots a size larger they 
can be kept in these for several years by a 
liberal use of liquid manure, which will 
sustain them in a healthy state. They 
may now be allowed to flower all through 
the summer. None of the varieties are 
liable to go off suddenly, but it is well to 
keep a few young plants in hand to take 
the place of the larger ones as they get 
worn out. They do not want much train- 
ing further than keeping the branches a 
little open, as they do not bear being 
much bent ; but the flowering shoots while 
