84 THE CULTURE OF POT-PLANTS 



They should be thinned out to two or three of the strongest, 

 growing well apart from one another. It may be advisable 

 to reduce the number eventually to one, but in any case 

 larger pots will be required as the plants grow. In October 

 they should be brought into the greenhouse, and as the 

 temperature falls, the supply of water should be reduced. 

 With artificial heat (about 50" F. or rather more) flowers 

 may be produced in winter, but in all probability they will 

 not appear until spring. It is not generally known that 

 mignonette, though ordinarily an annual, can be converted 

 into a shrubby perennial by picking off all the flower-buds, 

 as soon as they can be seen, for the first two years. It then 

 acquires a woody stem and branches, and continues to live 

 and flower for a number of years afterwards, provided, of 

 course, that it is not exposed to too low a temperature. 



Myrtus (Myrtle). — See p. 59. 



Musk. — This is a species of mimulus (J/. ??ioschati(s), 

 and should be treated as described on p. 59. Plenty of 

 water and shade from hot sunshine are its chief requirements. 



Nicotiana affinis (Sweet-Scented Tobacco). — Should 

 be grown as described for Annuals in Pots, p. 27. The 

 flowers are white. There are a number of coloured hybrids, 

 but they have little or no scent, 



Osmanthus fragrans. — An evergreen shrub with 

 starry white flowers in summer. It should be planted in 

 firm, sandy loam, put outside to ripen its growth towards the 

 end of summer, and kept fairly dry in winter. It is not quite 

 hatdy, but does not require artificial heat. As usual, autumn 

 is the best time to root cuttings, but the less O. fragrans is 

 pruned, the better. 



Polyanthes tuberosa (Tuberose). — The botanical 

 name is apt to be confused with polyanthus (many flowered) ; 

 its derivation is quite different, for it really means white 

 {polios) flowered. The popular name, on the other hand, 

 may suggest some connection with the rose, whereas it is 

 merely a form of tuberous. The small bulbs should be 

 treated in the same way as freesias. A succession of flowers 

 can be obtained by potting them at intervals. In order to 



