324 



Greenliouae and iStove Plants. 



SWAINSONA. 



answer for a time, but soon gets into a 

 state that prechtdes the possibility of the 

 plants grown in it keeping in health, and 

 when into soil of this nature are put things 

 that do not well bear a partial shaking out 

 and a renewal of the material in this way, 

 an unsatisfactory condition is sure to follow. 

 If towards the middle of March the soft 

 points of the young shoots, in about 3-inch 

 lengths, are taken off a plant that has been 

 kei^t through the winter where a little 

 growth has'been made, and put singly in 

 small pots in sand, kept moist and shaded, 

 under propagating glasses in an inter- 

 mediate heat, they will soon root. Then 

 gradually dispense with the glasses, and as 

 soon as the shoots begin to grow pinch out 

 the points ; keep through the summer 

 stood on a moist bottom, and give more 

 air in the middle of the day as the young 

 plants get better established. By the end 

 of July move them into 3-inch pots, using 

 peat made moderately fine with a little 

 sand added ; keep the atmosphere some- 

 what closer for a week or two until the 

 roots get to work in the new soil, and 

 syringe overhead all through the growing 

 season daily. Give more air in autumn 

 and cease shading ; winter at about 45°, 

 and in March repot, giving a 3-inch shift, 

 and now using a mixture of peat and loam, 

 with some sand. Again pinch out the 

 points of the shoots ; treat as in the pre- 

 vious summer as to a moist medium on 

 which to stand the pots, a little shade in 

 bright weather, and syringing overhead at 

 the time of closing the house, but give 

 more air in the day. Stop the shoots once 

 more in July, and tie them out to small 

 sticks ; keep drier with more air in autumn. 

 Winter as before, and about the beginning 

 of April move into larger pots ; if they 

 have plenty of healthy roots they will bear 

 a 3-incli shift. They are not delicate- 

 rooted subjects, but they require efficient 

 drainage and a porous soil : for this reason 

 add one-seventh sand, which incorporate 

 evenly with the soil. Swainsonias like 

 tolerably hard potting, consequently use 

 the potting lath freely, so as to make the 

 soil firm. If the plants have any straggling 

 shoots they should when potted be short- 

 ened back ; at the same time tie them well 

 out, so as to induce the lower eyes to 

 break ; if this is not done with these 

 plants nothing but the topmost eyes will 

 break, and there will be no possibility of 

 their acquiring sufficient shoots to furnish 

 the future specimens properly. After pot- 

 ting use no more water for two or three 

 weeks than may be requisite to keep the 

 ball from getting too dry ; let the atmo- 

 sphere be a little close until they begin to 



root, have the stage on which they stand 

 moderately moist, and damp the plants 

 overhead every afternoon. Continued and 

 free use of the syringe is necessary all 

 through the summer season, not alone to- 

 promote growth, but to keep .down red 

 spider, which is lial)le to become trouble- 

 some if enough water is not given overhead. 

 Swainsonas will flower in a small state 

 if allowed, but it is not advisable to let 

 them bloom this season, as they would not 

 make enough for it to be worth while 

 sacrificing the growth which flowering 

 would prevent being made ; consequently, 

 all the shoots should have their points 

 pinched out about the beginning of June, 

 and the strongest should be again tied 

 down. This is essential, as these plants 

 are apt to push much of their strength into 

 a portion of the shoots, leaving the re- 

 mainder weak ; but by keeping these 

 stronger ones tied out the strength becomes 

 equalised. In very bright weather they 

 will be benefited by a little shade. About 

 the beginning of August again go over them^ 

 and stop any shoots that are taking the 

 lead. Continue the use of the syringe until 

 the middle of September, when the advent 

 of cooler weather will render it not neces- 

 sary. Through this and the preceding 

 month admit air freely to mature the 

 growth before the autumn gets too far ad- 

 vanced. Ail through the growing season 

 give sufficient water, as when in active 

 growth they require more moisture in the 

 soil than some plants, but fi'om the time 

 in the autumn when they cease to make 

 much progress, and during the winter, 

 apply only enough to keep the soil slightly 

 moist. Winter in a light house in a tem- 

 perature of 40° in the night. Again repot 

 about the same time in the spring. This 

 season they will do with a 4-inch shift, 

 and the soil should now be a little more 

 lumpy, but still made open and poi'ous 

 by sand. Stop the shoots, and use a mode- 

 rate number of neat sticks to keep them in 

 their places, and afterwards for training 

 them to. After potting treat as in the 

 preceding year as to syringing, air, shade, 

 and water at the roots. The shoots must 

 not be again stopped, but as they advance 

 train them to the sticks, in which position 

 they will begin to flower about July, when 

 the plants can be taken to the conservatory, 

 where they may remain until the blooming 

 is over, when they should be at once cut 

 in moderately, placed in their winter 

 quarters, and treated as before. Give 3 

 or 4 inches more pot-room in the spring, 

 according to the quantity and condition of 

 the roots. No stopping of the shoots will 

 be required this season, but they should be 



