320 



Greenliov.se and Stove Plants. 



STATICE. 



growing through the dormant season at tlie 

 same rate as in summer, but they require 

 to be kept moving even in the winter much 

 more than many plants do, or success will 

 only be partial. In ]\Iarch move into 

 6-inch pots, using the loam now with more 

 vegetable fibre in it ; keep closer for a 

 few weeks, shade in the day when sunny, 

 and again use the syringe overhead to 

 keep the material on which the pots stand 

 damp. After the plants begin to move 

 freely give more air than in the previous 

 summer, but in other matters treat as be- 

 fore ; as autumn advances dispense with 

 shade and the use of the syringe, and 

 winter in a temperature similar to the 

 preceding, giving less water to the roots 

 than in the summer, but never letting 

 them get so dry as the generality of hard- 

 wooded plants require to be in the dormant 

 season. About thebeginningof March plants 

 managed as above directed will be in a fit 

 state for moving into pots 2 inches larger. 

 They do the best in good yellow turfy 

 loam, not broken too fine ; nothing should 

 be added to it except enough sand to keep 

 it in a healthy porous condition. Statices 

 require much more water than many oc- 

 cupants of the greenhouse, and conse- 

 quently they must be well drained. In 

 potting make the new soil quite firm, and 

 place them for a week or two wheie they 

 will be a little close ; do not give too 

 much water until the roots enter the new 

 soil, but this advice must be accepted in a 

 qualified sense, as they should never be 

 allowed to get so dry as necessary for the 

 well-being of many hardwooded things. 

 Keep them near the light, but away from 

 cold currents, and as the sun gets more 

 powerful they vnW require a slight shade 

 during the middle of the day, but never 

 let it stay on longer than needful. 

 Throughout the summer syringe overhead 

 in the afternoons, getting well under the 

 leaves to keep down spider, which, if 

 allowed to establish itself, will soon do 

 serious harm. They will continuously 

 through spring and summer keep throwing 

 up flower-stems, which at present it is 

 advisable to remove as soon as they make 

 their appearance. The nature of the 

 plant's growth does not admit of stopping, 

 as in most things, neither is it necessary, 

 for almost every flower-stem that is made 

 divides in two the point of the shoot 

 whence it springs, and by this means the 

 plants, as growth proceeds, get fully fur- 

 nished. In the hot summer weather they 

 will make more progress stood on a bed of 

 ashes or similar material than upon a dry 

 shelf, as if not placed on some medium 

 that can supply a moderate amount of 



moisture around them they suffer more 

 than most things, as from the natural 

 structure of the leaves evaporation is very 

 great. As autumn approaches discontinue 

 the use of the syringe and give plenty of 

 air. Winter as advised the previous 

 season, and if any flower-stems are made 

 before spring remove them as they appear. 

 In March again pot on ; now give a 3-inch 

 shift, and use the soil a little more lumpy, 

 and treat them this season as in the previous 

 in every respect except that where it is not 

 the object to get the plants on in size 

 without delay they may be allowed to 

 flower, as they will now be very useful for 

 decorative purposes in the conservatory or 

 elsewhere. When in bloom they must not 

 be syringed, as the least moisture will 

 cause the flowers to damp, but when used 

 in this way while young they should not 

 be kept so long out of the growing house 

 or pit, neither must the successional flowers 

 that will from time to time make their 

 appearance be allowed to remain or they 

 will interfere vn\h the growth. As the 

 shoots lengthen sufficiently bring them 

 down a little towards the rim of the pot — 

 for this purpose a few sticks will be re- 

 quired. The shoots are very liable to split 

 out from the point whence they spring if 

 much bent ; to prevent this they should 

 be secured by a ligature of bast bound 

 round the point of the juncture, which 

 should be allowed to remain on for a short 

 time after they are trained. Give treatment 

 through the summer, autumn, and winter 

 similar to that before advised. In spring 

 pot about the same time, giving again a 

 3-inch shift ; the plants will this summer, 

 if all goes well, make nice half specimens, 

 and should be allowed to flower until mid- 

 summer, after which remove all the blooms 

 on them, as also all that push through the 

 autumn, and encourage growth by atten- 

 tion as up to this point directed. 



In potting the following spring they 

 will require 18-inch pots ; in these they 

 may remain for two years, and should be 

 given weak applications of manure-water 

 once a week through the summer. When 

 again moved into pots a size larger they 

 can be kept in these for several years by a 

 liberal use of liquid manure, which will 

 sustain them in a healthy state. They 

 may now be allowed to flower all through 

 the summer. None of the varieties are 

 liable to go off suddenly, but it is well to 

 keep a few young plants in hand to take 

 the place of the larger ones as they get 

 worn out. They do not want much train- 

 ing further than keeping the branches a 

 little open, as they do not bear being 

 much bent ; but the flowering shoots while 



