Greenhouse and Stove Plcmts. 



17 



brouglit forward in heat. Acacias are 

 amongst the most easy of hard-wooded 

 ])lants to grow, being of a most vigorous 

 habit, not suffering seriously from a little 

 inattention in withholding water, or from 

 a little too much water at other times, 

 which, in the case of many hard-woodecl 

 things subject to pot culture would be 

 ahaost certain to cause death. Neither are 

 they particular as to soil, as they will 

 succeed in either peat or loam, bi;t the 

 latter is the most suitable, and in it their 

 natural free disposition to flower is still 

 further increased. They strike freely from 

 cuttiuL^'s, wliich may be put in at any time 

 during the spring or summer, the former 

 being preferable. If at the beginning of 

 April the points of the shoots, about three 

 inches in length, are put two or three 

 inches apart in pans filled with sand, kept 

 warm, moist, and covered with a propagat- 

 ing glass, they will root in six or eight 

 weeks sufficiently to bear moving into 

 3-inch pots, for which loam, reduced 

 to a fine state, with some sand and a little 

 rotten manure, should be used. Pinch out 

 the points and keep in an intermediate 

 temperature to get them established, using 

 a little shade when the sun is powerful, 

 but letting them have plenty of light, with 

 a moderate amount of air. Syringe over- 

 head when the house is closed in the after- 

 noons, with a liberal supply of water to 

 the roots as soon as they have got well 

 hold of the soil. By the end of July move 

 into 5 or 6 inch pots, at the same time 

 stopping the strongest shoots, and treating 

 as before until the end of August. Then 

 give more air, and cease shading and 

 syringing, so as to get the growth solidified 

 before the days become .short ; keep them 

 through the winter at a greenhouse tem- 

 peiature, and about the end of March stop 

 the shoots, and give 8-inch pots, now 

 using soil a little more lumpy. Let the 

 drainage be efficient, as Acacias are thirsty 

 subjects ; and provision must be made to 

 ensure the large quantities of water they 

 require passing freely off. Add sand in 

 proportion to the nature of the loam, but 

 let it contain enough to prevent any ten- 

 dency to become adhesive. Ram the soil 

 firmly into the pots ; at once train out all 

 the strongest branches in a horizontal 

 position, bringing them well down, place 

 in a light house, or pit, and do not give too 

 much air for a few days, or allow them to 

 suffer by going too long without water. 

 As the sun gets more power syi'inge every 

 bright afternoon, getting well under the 

 leaves. As these plants are suliject to led 

 spider, they reci[uire attention in this matter 

 all through the growing season, for although 



their leaves are not tender, or so soon in- 

 jured as in the case of many things, still, 

 when the spider has once been establishetl 

 upon them, they do not soon regain their 

 fresh appearance. Give plenty of air 

 through the summer, but no shade will be 

 absolutely rec^uired ; yet a little in the 

 middle of the day in bright weather will 

 do no harm if the plants hap]>en to be 

 grown with others that need it. When the 

 roots have got fairly hold of the new soil 

 the plants make rapid growth, and should 

 be stopped as soon as they have made 

 shoots about six inches in length, and any 

 that are stronger than the rest be tied out 

 so as to equalise the strength. At the 

 beginning of August give plenty of air in 

 the night as well as in the day, but con- 

 tinue the use of the syringe until Septem- 

 ber, after which there is not much to be 

 feared from red spider. The plants will 

 not now push much growth. Keep them 

 as cool through the autumn and winter as 

 can be done without dauger of frost. If 

 they are required, a portion may be had in 

 flower by the middle of March. For this 

 purpose they must some time before be 

 placed in a temperature of 50'^ in the day 

 time, and should be kept near the light. 

 They ought not to be subjected to more 

 heat than this, as it is quite sufficient to 

 bring them into bloom, and it is not desir- 

 able to excite growth. "When in flower 

 they can be moved to the conservatory, 

 where they will have a nice appearance 

 for a month ; if flowers are wanted, the 

 strongest shoots can be cut and the 

 lemainder shortened back as soon as the 

 flowering is over. The plants that have 

 been let to come on of their own accord 

 will succeed the others, and when they 

 have bloomed may in like manner have 

 all their shoots shortened back. The 

 young growth ■will break in a few weeks,, 

 after which the whole, early and late 

 flowered, may be potted. They will bear 

 mo\'ing into 12 or 13 inch pots. " This may 

 appear a large shift, but their strong free- 

 growing nature is such as to do with 

 plenty of room, and it is better to get them 

 on whilst young than to keep them back. 

 Pot as before, and tie well out, being care- 

 ful to furnish the base to the rims of the 

 pots, and continue to bring down the 

 strongest shoots ; treat as in the preceding 

 summer as to air, light, water at the roots, 

 and continued syringing overhead. By 

 the beginning of August those that were 

 brought into flower early will have com- 

 pleted their growth (they will not require 

 stopping this season, as they will now be 

 sufficiently furnished with abundance of 

 shoots, and will look aU. the better when 



