216 



Greenhouse and Stove Fl.nnfs. 



IMPATIENS. 



ture about them. It is best propaf,'ated in 

 the spring about the beginning of Alarch ; 

 take for cuttings portions of the preceding 

 heason's matui'e growths, as in the case of a 

 healthy plant these branch out freely, attain- 

 ing during the season a length of from 4 

 inches to 10 inches. The smaller size severed 

 at the base wall be found most suitable. 

 They should be inserted singly in, or two or 

 three together round the sides of, small 

 puts well drained and half filled with a 

 mixture consisting of equal proportions of 

 tine peat and sand, the upper portion all 

 sand. The sand must not l^e made more 

 than very slightly damp — in that condition 

 best described as neither wet nor dry, a 

 state in which it must be kept until' the 

 cuttings have formed roots. As before 

 said, they must not be subjected to close 

 confinement in a frame or under projia- 

 gating glasses, or they are almost certain 

 to become a rotten mass. They do best on 

 a shelf near the roof or set close to the up- 

 right front or end glass of the house or pit 

 in a temperature of 60°. Thus treated, 

 they will in a few weeks freely emit roots, 

 the presence of which will be indicated by 

 the points of the shoots beginning to grow. 

 If the cultivator is anxious to get the 

 plants on in size quickly, two or three of 

 the newly-struck cuttings may be placed 

 together in a 3-inch pot, or singly if 

 deemed preferable. This Balsam succeeds 

 best in material of a light, open nature, 

 partaking more of the character of that in 

 which Orchids are grown, than in any com- 

 post more retentive. Two parts good tibrous 

 2:)eat added to one of chopped sphagnum, 

 with which is mixed a liberal sprinkling 

 of charcoal, broken to the size of horse 

 l)eans, and some silver sand, will answer 

 ])erfectly. The pots should be one-fourth 

 filled with crocks or charcoal for drainage, 

 and the material ought to be pressed mode- 

 rately close round the roots. The tempera- 

 ture may be raised as solar heat increases, 

 but the plant after rooting never requires 

 so much warmth as many stove subjects ; 

 the heat kept up in an intermediate house 

 suits it best. It will also do with moie air 

 than is liked by the generality of stove 

 plants. The nearer it is kept to the glass 

 the better, and a very thin shade should 

 be used in the middle of the day during 

 bright weather. Through the season of 

 growth it will bear watering at the root 

 freely, and -will also be benefited by syring- 

 ing overhead once a day, but this should 

 be done early enough in the afternoon to 

 allow the moisture to get dried up before 

 nightfall. By midsummer sufl&cient root 

 progress will have been made to admit of 

 the young stock being transferred to pots 



an inch or two larger ; or, in the ca.se 

 where two or three were put together and 

 are intended to lie giown so, they will bear 

 a little laiger shift. It is naturally of a 

 bushy habit, to stiU further assist which 

 the points of the growths may be taken 

 out, but every operation of this kind 

 should be done with the knife, as a bruise 

 resulting from pinching is not unlikely to 

 cause the shoots t^j rot. The singular- 

 shaped yellow and pink-tinge<l flowers are 

 produced so freely that the plants will 

 bloom the first summer or autumn. After 

 the flowers are faded pick them off and 

 dis])ense with shading as the sun begins to 

 decline in power, at the same time reduc- 

 ing the temperature of the house ; they 

 must also be kept drier at the root and not 

 syringed at all. During the growing sea- 

 son a shelf near the roof will be the most 

 suitable position for them ; winter in a 

 house or pit where the night temperature 

 is about 55°, giving very little watei- from 

 the time they cease to grow. In fact, the 

 soil through the whole season of rest should 

 be kept, as to moisture, much in the same 

 condition as that of the majority of Mexi- 

 can Orchids during their dormant period. 

 Towards the end of February give a little 

 additional warmth with more moisture in 

 the atmosphere, and as soon as growth 

 commences more water to the soil. By the 

 beginning of April the roots will commence 

 to fairly extend, and pots 2 inches or 3 

 inches larger may be given, using soil 

 similar in character to that advised the 

 preceding season. The plants will now 

 begin to grow apace, and will require isxo 

 or three neat sticks each to suj^port them ; 

 little further stopping vnW be needed, and 

 the treatment in other respects as to shade, 

 moisture, heat, and air, should be as during 

 the first summer. If all goes well they 

 will now grov/ freely, and by the end of 

 July or beginning of August will have 

 their shoots fully clothed with flo'W'ers. As 

 soon as these show themselves cease syring- 

 ing, or it will sometimes have the effect of 

 causing the advancing bloom-buds to fall off. 

 During the time of flowering they may 

 be placed on the fi'ont stage of the stove or 

 intermediate house, where, associated \vith 

 other blooming or fine-leaved plants, they 

 will form a very distinct feature. When 

 the flowering is over it will be well to 

 move them to their original quarters on a 

 shelf near the glass, treating them during 

 autumn and winter as before ; the ensuing 

 I spring they will bear pots 2 inches or 3 

 inches larger, but in this it is well to be 

 guided by the quantity and condition of 

 the roots, as they are impatient of too much 

 pot-room. Wlien the potting is carried 



