ON THE BALSAM. 79 



The mode of treatment we pursue in flowering and growing this 

 pretty flowering plant to perfection is simply as follows : — 



To have a succession, we generally make two sowings, say the first 

 the beginning of April. After the plants are up about three inches 

 high, we pot them off singly into small pots, placing them on a 

 shelf near the glass, in a pine stove. After they have filled their 

 pots with roots, we shift them into half-pints, then into pints, next 

 quarts, and so on, till finally we get them into deep half-peeks, 

 always inserting them deeper in the pot each time, until the soil 

 reaches the first joint, from which they readily emit strong roots. 

 They are then replaced in the stove, as near the glass as they can 

 conveniently be set. 



Great regard is uniformly taken to give them plenty of drainage, 

 and likewise when they are watered to give it copiously, so that it 

 may have a free egress at the bottom. If given by small portions 

 at a time, the plants will be found dry at the bottom, while the soil 

 at the surface will be sodden with wet, and then the plants turn 

 yellow and unhealthy. The soil they delight in with us is, three 

 parts of rotten leaves to two parts of red loam. 



After the plants show flower, we convey them out of the stoves to 

 the greenhouse : there they spend their summer months. The result 

 of this treatment last summer was, — the plants measured, from the 

 floor, three feet to three feet six inches high, the stems and laterals 

 being in proportion to that of the plants. The flowers were of the 

 most splendid colours and size; some semi, some quite double, so 

 that we could not procure a single seed from some of the plants, 

 though they continued to bloom from June till the latter end of 

 October. 



Coxcombs will do equally well after the same treatment, save I 

 would recommend them to be flowered in quartern pots. We had 

 blooms last summer that measured from fifteen to eighteen inches in 

 length, and five to seven inches in diameter. 



Perhaps these few remarks may meet the eye of some person who 

 may be disposed for a little controversy ; to prevent which, I give 

 no further recommendation than that they answer our most sanguine 

 wishes. 



