CALCEOLARIA. 75 



Young plants from the herbaceous and half shrubby kinds are 

 readily increased by slips in October and November, the cool and 

 damp of beinj' then housed induces the off-shoots that are under- 

 most to emirtnuiantity of small rootlets. Young, well ripened shoots 

 of the true shrubby kinds may be struck in summer, in sandy loam 

 and peat, but with the greatest success when plants are kept in a 

 cool and moist situation, in October and November, then rootlets are 

 produced ; such shoots being then taken off, and potted separately, 

 establish themselves well before the severity of winter ; they should 

 be potted into small pots, in a light sandy loam and vegetable mould 

 equal parts. Immediately on potting, they must be placed in a close 

 frame for about a month ; this closeness very materially contributes 

 to an immediate growth, for, when exposed to a stronger current of 

 air, it has a tendency to dry the foliage and injure the plant. Whilst 

 in the frame, keep the soil moist, but be careful not to wet the foliage, 

 as it would be likely to rot the plants. At the end of November, the 

 plants should be placed on a shelf near the glass in a greenhouse to 

 remain during the winter. In this situation they will grow freely, 

 and if the pots become filled with roots, they should be repotted into 

 larger ; this encourages them to grow in size, without which weak 

 blooming shoots would in all probability push, to the injury of a 

 proper bloom the following season. 



At the beginning of March the plants must be re-potted into 

 twentv-four-sized pots, using wide-moulhecl pots, as such keep the 

 earth in a much better state than upright ones. Have a sandy loam 

 enriched with well rotted cow-dung : the latter is found very bene- 

 ficial ; being of a cooler nature than horse-dung, it is more suited to 

 the Calceolaria. At the beginning of April, re-pot into twelve-sized 

 pots, using the same kind of compost. At each potting a free por- 

 tion of drainage should be given, to admit the water to run off easily 

 upon the potsherds, lumps of loam, bog, and dung of two or three 

 inches in diameter ; this admits a greater proportion of water being 

 applied, and affords a corresponding cpiantity of nutriment. Fresh 

 water and liquid manure should be regularly used from the potting 

 into twenty-fours, using the liquid manure every third watering. 

 The plants should be kept in the front part of a greenhouse during 

 the time from autumn to the close of their blooming, which is usually 

 the end of July. In hot sun a net shading or canvas shade is 



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