'2.18 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



be introduced very gradually ; but if a fair amount of flower is ex- 

 pected, the plants should be inured to it by the middle or, at the 

 latest, end of August. Those that were repotted may be treated less 

 hard during autumn, but care must be used to get the wood of these 

 well ripened before winter. If they can be placed near the glass in 

 a house where grapes are preserved during wiuter, they will be suited 

 perfectly ; and as they require very little water at the root, they 

 will be less injurious there than most plants. The best situation for 

 the flowering plants during spring is the front shelf in the green- 

 house. They should be kept freely exposed to air and sun ; and after 

 the appearance of the flowers the atmosphere can hardly be kept too 

 dry. A moist stimulating atmosphere promotes growth, and the 

 effect of this would be an unsightly lengthening of the stems, an 

 occurrence by far too common. When the flowers assume their 

 proper colours, remove them where they can be kept dry, cool, and 

 shaded from the sun. 



Plants intended for large specimens should be stopped and potted 

 in March, and treated as already recommended for specimens in- 

 tended to flower the following spring. I prefer keeping up a supply 

 of young plants, and with the exception of any plant that may be full 

 of young wood near the base, I throw all to the rubbish heap imme- 

 diately after they have done flowering. 



Propagation is easily effected. I generally select firm young 

 shoots with several branches, and plant them in four-inch pots in 

 sandy peat, placing them in a close pit, and carefully shading them 

 till rooted, which will be in about a month. As regards soil, this 

 should be light, 'but rich ; half turfy sand loam and half fibry peat, 

 with a liberal allowance of sharp silver sand and small potsherds, 

 broken bones, or charcoal, will be found a suitable compost. Strong 

 tenacious loam had better be avoided, or at least used very sparingly. 

 The peat and loam should be broken up into pieces about the size of 

 a nut, and intimately mixed with sand, etc., previous to use. 



Secure perfect drainage by placing an inch or two of potsherds in 

 the bottom of the pots, and so arrange them as to prevent the soil 

 being washed down amongst them. 



ARTIFICIAL FLOWERS IN WAX. 



HE following articles should belaid on the table before 

 the operation commences : — A pen-knife, a pair of 

 scissors, a piece of wire about three inches long, pointed 

 at one end, and having a round knob of sealing-wax at 

 the other, three or four smooth and slender rods of 

 wood, a few sheets of wax of different colours, some wire of different 

 sizes, covered with green tissue paper, for stems, and some very 

 thin tin or brass to cut up into patterns. Some green wax should 

 also be at hand in a melted state. 



A flower must be chosen, for the first attempt, whose parts are 

 very simple and easily imitated — the common primrose, for instance, 



