•K THE CULTURE OP THE BOUVARDJA. 171 



ARTICLE II. 



ON THE CULTURE OF BOUVARDIA TR1PHYLLA. 



BV MR. RICHARD DAY, ALVERTON GARDENS, BATH. 



Early in April collect all the Bouvardias together from the 

 place, where they have been kept through the dormant season, 

 under the stage of the greenhouse. I turn them all out of their 

 pots, and shake the soil completely from the roots; I thin off most 

 of the large roots, yet retain as many of the fine fibrous one* 

 as possible. Likewise at the same time, I cut down all the for- 

 mer year's shoots, retaining only two, three, or four eyes on eaeh, 

 according to the age and strength of the plants ; I then plant 

 them in pots, suitable to the size of the plants, taking great care 

 never to overpot them, nor to cramp the roots by confinement. 

 When potted, I water them to settle the earth about their roots, 

 arjd place them in a cold frame, which is covered with mats at 

 night, the lights being kept close during the night, and even in 

 the day, unless the sun is very strong upon them, till they begin 

 to grow ; then give them portions of air, according to the day 

 and their advance in growth. Subsequently I leave the lights off 

 through the day, and lastly, do not put them on at night. 



In about a week after they have been thus exposed, plant them 

 finally out for the season, either in clumps by themselves, or dis- 

 tributed among other plants, when they are soon in fine bloom, 

 and continue to flower till November, and are crowned with fine 

 luxuriant clusters of splendid trumpet-like flowers. 



As soon as frost is apprehended, I take up the plants with balls 

 of earth attached to their roots, disturbing the fibres as little as 

 possible, and place them carefully in pots that will admit of a 

 little good mellow soil under the ball and around it. 



When they are thus replaced in pots and watered so as to set- 

 tle the mould, those which are in luxuriant bloom mix amongst 

 the green house plants, where they make a splendid appearance 

 till Christmas. When the plants begin to shed their leaves, and 

 the flowers are nearly gone, I put them out of sight, under the 

 stage as mentioned above, until April. This treatment I have 

 continued with the same plants for many years ; for the appli- 

 cation of fresh soil, the trimming of the old roots, the great 

 luxuriance gained by growing without confinement of their roots, 



