ON INCREASING THE PINK FROM SLIPS. 183 



until they show their combs. I then select out those I think will be 

 the best formed combs, taking care to have them all round stems. 

 I next repot them into twenty-fours, keeping them in the heat as 

 before ; by this time of potting the combs are pretty well advanced in 

 growth. I give them as much air as possible during the day, and a 

 little at night to take off the steam, otherwise it is apt to disfigure 

 some of the combs. My next and last potting is into twelves, eights, 

 or sixes, as the plant may require ; care is taken to shade them with 

 a piece of netting or thin canvas when the sun is very hot ; if not done, 

 there is a danger of getting the foliage of a bad colour, which spoils 

 the beauty of the Cockscomb. The seed-vessels I carefully shave off 

 with a sharp penknife as soon as they appear, which, when so done, 

 adds much to the growth of the comb. 



The compost I use consists of three barrowsful of good rich maiden 

 loam, direct from the pasture, with one barrowful of old rotten cow- 

 dung, and half a barrowful of good rotten manure ; this I chop well 

 together with a spade, which is then fit for use. Care is taken to 

 well drain the pots, as Cockscombs require a quick drainage. The 

 last two times of potting I put a quantity of raw horse-dropping (direct 

 from the stable) at the bottoms of the pots, which adds greatly to en- 

 rich the colour of the combs. The leaves of the plant should be 

 syringed under and over two or three times a-week with water, to 

 keep away the red spider. 



By the above method I have grown combs from tv;enty-five to 

 thirty inches across, and from ten to twelve inches wide. The kind I 

 grow is called the Birmingham Giant, which grows about a foot high. 



ARTICLE VIII. 



ON INCREASING THE PINK FROM SLIPS. 



BY CLERICUS, YORKSHIRE. 



I have long grown my favourite flower, the Pink, and increased it 

 annually by pipings, but the process has not always succeeded to my 

 expectation. Last year I was instructed to raise them by slips, which, 

 when slipped olf, had the ragged portion, where torn, cut quite smooth, 

 and in that state were fit for pricking off, avoiding cutting off the ends 

 of the leaves, as is done in preparing pipings. In July, 1841, I had 

 a portion of a south-aspected border prepared, by mixing with it one- 



