I4G glen'ny's handbook 



make it quite firm about the cutting. They may he put one 

 or two inches apart, according to the size of tlieir foliage, and 

 when all planted should be gently watered to settle the soil. 

 As soon as they have dried a little they must be covered with 

 a bell glass. The pots may be set in a greenhouse, and after 

 a week or two a slight bottom heat would facilitate the 

 striking. The glass should be taken off daily, and wiped dry 

 inside : at the same time the soil must never get dry. During 

 the whole time they must be shaded by putting a paper over 

 the sunny side of the glass. When they have begun to 

 grow the glass may be left off an hour every day ; and as 

 soon as the roots are well formed they must be potted into 

 th)-ee-inch pots, keeping them at the same depth they were 

 in the cutting-pot — on no account deeper. Keep them close 

 for a week or two, after which they may be placed near the 

 glass in the greenhouse, and merely protected from the 

 scorching mid-day sun, and watered daily, or so that the roots 

 are never parched. The tops may be pinched out as soon as 

 they are fairly established, and this will encourage lateral 

 shoots. As soon as the pots fill with roots change them for 

 a size larger, using the same kind of sandy peat compost, 

 and taking care not to bruise the fibres which are exposed 

 outside the ball of earth. They may be allowed as much air 

 as possible in mild weather, and when any of the lateral 

 shoots are growing too vigorously let them be topped. In 

 this Avay the plants may be grown from pot to pot until they 

 form ultimately handsome large plants. Those who are 

 anxious to form large specimens in a short time will pick off 

 the buds of flowers while the plants are small ; but in 

 ordinary cases it is quite as well to let them bloom in season, 

 and take their natural chance. When the flowers decay 

 remove them, except when increase is wanted, because the 

 formation of seed-pods would retard growth and lessen their 

 vigour. To raise the seed sow it in pans or wide-mouthed 

 pots, placed in the greenhouse. As soon as the plants are up 

 they must be kept clear of weeds and occasionally watered 

 until they are large enough to be pricked out in other pots an 

 inch and a half apart, ^^■here they may grow till they are 

 large enough to be potted singly, after which they must be 

 treated exactly like cuttings. The best are H. Celsii, blue ; 



