20 



Greenhouse and JStuve Flanta 



end, if this will afford them a night tem- 

 perature of 60° ; do not give any Avater 

 until the roots have commenced to grow 

 (unless the soil has obviously got too 

 dry) or they may rot. As soon as the 

 shoots make their appearance above 

 ground, stand the pans as near the light 

 as possible. If there is a shelf overhead 

 close to the roof glas.s, this will just suit 

 them. If kept in a dark place they will 

 directly become drawn and weak, a con- 

 dition that spoils them. When the young 

 shoots are about three inches in length they 

 should be moved into their flowering pots, 

 and now it must be determined what 

 sized plants are required. They may 

 be placed in 7 in. or 8 in. pots, or in 

 such as are up to 12 in. or 14 in. in 

 diameter, according to the purpose for 

 which they are wanted. A medium size in 

 most cases will be the most useful. Drain 

 the pots well, add to the peat or loam, 

 whichever they are to be grown in, a 

 moderate quantity of rotten clung and leaf 

 mould and a sprinkling of sand ; press it 

 moderately firm, and till the pots up to 

 within 2 inches of the rim. Then put in 

 the plants about 2 inches apart, and place 

 an inch of soil over the roots, pressing it 

 slightly down, and replace as befoie in a 

 light situation. As the days get longer the 

 temperature may be increased 5° in the 

 night, and be made proportionately higher 

 in the day ; give a slight shade in veiy 

 bright weather, and air in the middle of 

 the day. As growth advances, a neat stick, 

 proportionate in length with the strength 

 of the variety, should be put to each shoot, 

 which should be tied so as to have the whole 

 shapely. As the soil becomes filled with 

 roots a plentiful supply of water should be 

 given, and the plants freely syiinged over- 

 head every afternoon. When the flowers 

 are fully formed, and before they begin to 

 open, if it is intended that the plants 

 should be moved to a cooler house when 

 in bloom, they ought to be gradually in- 

 ured to the change by placing them where 

 they will get more air, with, if possible, a 

 little lower temperature. They should 

 not be submitted to too great a change 

 all at once, as, if checked, they sometimes 

 do not open their flowers freely. When 

 in bloom do not let them suffer for water, 

 or the flowering will be soon over. Wlien 

 they have done blooming, set them in the 

 corner of a house where they will be 

 kept moderately warm, and supply them 

 regularly with water, as, if neglected, 

 either by a deficiency of this or hj being 

 stood where they are too cold, they form 

 very poor roots for the ensuing year. At- 

 tend to them in this way until the tops 



gradually die down, when the roots cair be 

 either allowed to remain in the ball of dry 

 earth by setting the pots in a place with a. 

 suitable temperature, as advised already, 

 or they may be shaken out and put in 

 paper bags in a little dry sand, so as to 

 keep the air from them. Achimenes- 

 make excellent basket plants for suspend- 

 ing in conservatories or similar places. 

 When wanted for use in this way the 

 baskets should be made of galvanised 

 iron wire, proportionate in size to the 

 place they are intended to occupy. They 

 should be first lined with a couple of 

 inches of clean moss, upon which put the 

 same depth of crocks or broken charcoal 

 —the latter is much the lightest— fill up- 

 -wdth soil as in the case of pots, and plant 

 similarly. When required the outside 

 shoots may be tied to sticks in a hori- 

 zontal position over the sides of the' 

 baskets, the inner ones being tied so as 

 to furnish the upper surface, to make the 

 whole shapely. So raairaged they are' 

 very eft'ective. Plants for successional 

 flowering require treating similarly in 

 every way, except starting into growth,, 

 as already said, somewhat later. Any 

 variety that happens to be scarce can be- 

 increased readily from cuttings made from 

 the young shoots, in lengths of two or 

 three joints, cutting them at a joint to 

 form the base ; insert in j^ots or pans 

 filled with half peat and sand, place in 

 heat, keep moist, and cover with a pro- 

 pagating glass. 



New varieties are being continually- 

 raised from seed, but the undermentioned 

 are all good kinds and deserving of a. 

 place : — 



A. Admiration. Rose colour with light 

 centre. 



A. Amhroise Verschaffelt. A fine white- 

 sort, with the centre marked with dark 

 rays. 



A. Aiirora. Scarlet, with yellow eye ;. 

 very large flowers. 



A. Firefly. Deep carmine, sj^otted with 

 crimson, yellow eye. 



A. Ghieshreghtii. A Mexican sj^ecies, with > 

 scarlet and purple flowers. 



A . gloxiniceflora. Also a Mexican species ; 

 the flowers are white. A distinct and de- 

 sirable plant. 



A. grandiflora. Another Mexican 

 species, a tall grower, the flowers of wliidi 

 are reddish crimson. 



A. longiflora alba. Large flowers, white,, 

 slightly nrarked in the centre. 



A. longiflora major. A very firre blue 

 sort. 



A. Masterpiece. A stout-growing variet}'., 

 with violet-rose coloured flowers. 



