324 
answer for a time, but soon gets into a 
state that precludes the possibility of the 
plants grown in it keeping in health, and 
when into soil of this nature are put things 
that do not well bear a partial shaking out 
and a renewal of the material in this way, 
an unsatisfactory condition is sure to follow. 
If towards the middle of March the soft 
points of the young shoots, in about 3-inch 
lengths, are taken off a plant that has been 
kept through the winter where a little 
vrowth has been made, and put singly in 
small pots in sand, kept moist and shaded, 
under propagating glasses in an inter- 
mediate heat, they will soon root. Then 
eradually dispense with the glasses, and as 
soon as the shoots begin to grow pinch out 
the points; keep through the summer 
stood on a moist bottom, and give more 
air in the middle of the day as the young 
plants get better established. By the end 
of July move them into 3-inch pots, using 
peat made moderately fine with a little 
sand added ; keep the atmosphere some- 
what closer for a week or two until the 
roots get to work in the new soil, and 
syringe overhead all through the growing 
season daily. Give more air in autumn 
and cease shading; winter at about 45°, 
and in March repot, giving a 3-inch shift, 
and now using a mixture of peat and loam, 
with some sand. Again pinch out the 
points of the shoots ; treat as in the pre- 
vious summer as to a moist medium on 
which to stand the pots, a little shade in 
bright weather, and syringing overhead at 
the time of closing the house, but give 
more air in the day. Stop the shoots once 
more in July, and tie them out to small 
sticks ; keep drier with more air in autumn. 
Winter as before, and about the beginning 
of April move into larger pots; if they 
have plenty of healthy roots they will bear 
a 83-inch shift. They are not delicate- 
rooted subjects, but they require efficient 
drainage and a porous soil : for this reason 
add one-seventh sand, which incorporate 
evenly with the soil. Swainsonias like 
tolerably hard potting, consequently use 
the potting lath freely, so as to make the 
soil firm. If the plants have any straggling 
shoots they should when potted be short- 
ened back ; at the same time tie them well 
out, so as to induce the lower eyes to 
break; if this is not done with these 
plants nothing but the topmost eyes will 
break, and there will be no possibility of 
their acquiring sufficient shoots to furnish 
the future specimens properly. After pot- 
ting use no more water for two or three 
weeks than may be requisite to keep the 
ball from getting too dry ; let the atmo- 
sphere be a little close until they begin to 
Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 
SWAINSONA. 
root, have the stage on which they stand 
moderately moist, and damp the plants. 
overhead every afternoon. Continued and 
free use of the syringe is necessary all 
through the summer season, not alone to 
promote growth, but to keep down red 
spider, which is liable to become trouble- 
some if enough water is not given overhead. 
Swainsonas will flower in a small state 
if allowed, but it is not advisable to let 
them bloom this season, as they would not 
make enough for it to be worth while 
sacrificing the growth which flowering 
would prevent being made ; consequently, 
all the shoots should have their points 
pinched out about the beginning of June, 
and the strongest should be again tied 
down. This is essential, as these plants 
are apt to push much of their strength into 
a portion of the shoots, leaving the re- 
mainder weak; but by keeping these 
stronger ones tied out the strength becomes 
equalised. In very bright weather they 
will be benefited by a little shade. About 
the beginning of August again go over them, 
and stop any shoots that are taking the 
lead. Continue the use of the syringe until 
the middle of September, when the advent 
of cooler weather will render it not neces- 
sary. Through this and the preceding 
month admit air freely to mature the 
growth before the autumn gets too far ad- 
vanced. All through the growing season 
give sufficient water, as when in active 
growth they require more moisture in the 
soil than some plants, but from the time 
in the autumn when they cease to make 
much progress, and during the winter, 
apply only enough to keep the soil slightly 
moist. Winter in a light house in a tem- 
perature of 40° in the night. Again repot 
about the same time in the spring. This 
season they will do with a 4-inch shift, 
and the soil should now be a little more 
lumpy, but still made open and porous 
by sand. Stop the shoots, and use a mode- 
rate number of neat sticks to keep them in 
their places, and afterwards for training 
them to. After potting treat as in the 
preceding year as to syringing, air, shade, 
and water at the roots. The shoots must 
not be again stopped, but as they advance 
train them to the sticks, in which position 
they will begin to flower about July, when 
the plants can be taken to the conservatory, 
where they may remain until the blooming 
is over, when they should be at once cut 
in moderately, placed in their winter 
quarters, and treated as before. Give 3 
or 4inches more pot-room in the spring, 
according to the quantity and condition of 
the roots. No stopping of the shoots will 
be required this season, but they should be 
