308 ON CINERARIAS. 



Seedlings. — Seed is generally to be had ripe early in the year, 

 about May ; sow a portion of it as soon as gathered, and the plants 

 being potted off in large sixties, and then repotted, will bloom through 

 winter. Sow another portion towards the end of July, pot the plants, 

 too, into large sixties, and they will bloom from the beginning of April 

 till midsummer. The best place to grow the stock in is a dry pit- 

 frame. Though the Cineraria delights in warm moist atmosphere in 

 its principal growing state, yet in winter, if kept damp, the leaves are 

 very liable to rot at their stalks. If the pit has a fire-flue, or other 

 means of warming, it is of advantage to dry up extra moisture, as well 

 as protect in extreme frost from injury : the plants will not bear the 

 least frost uninjured. Have the plants near to the glass, whether they 

 be kept in a pit or greenhouse, and admit air when the weather is dry, 

 in order to keep the plants robust and dwarf. They do not like a 

 strong current of wind blowing against the leaves; they are easily 

 broken by it. During spring cold easterly winds often prevail : do 

 not allow them to blow direct against the plants ; they suffer much 

 when not so protected. A warm shower of rain is beneficial, and the 

 lights may be taken off to admit it ; or, whilst growing freely, syringe 

 over head once a-day. Always repot when the one which the plant is 

 in is full of roots. Jf allowed to he pot-bound, the plants soon become 

 sickly and perish. 



By having the stock in a pit-frame, a portion may be taken to bloom 

 in a greenhouse, sitting-room, &c, successively. The early-raised 

 plants may be brought into bloom by November, and the succession 

 kept up till midsummer with perfect success. 



To perpetuate fine varieties, they may readily be increased by suckers. 

 As soon as the plants have done blooming, give them less water in pro- 

 portion, or they will rot at the roots. Allow the main blooming stems 

 to gradually die away ; and as the leaves become withered, pinch them 

 off. After blooming, take away a portion of the surface soil, two or 

 more inches deep, and replace it with fresh compost, in order to en- 

 courage the growth of suckers. Plants that have done blooming, after 

 the beginning of May, should be turned out of their pots entire into a 

 prepared border, that is shaded from mid-day sun ; here they soon 

 begin to flourish, and produce suckers freely. By taking away the 

 strongest suckers first to pot oft", a succession will generally be pro- 

 duced, so that a prolonged season of having blooming plants from these 

 may be obtained as easily as by seedlings. 



The raising and proving of seedlings is a most interesting employ- 

 ment ; they are easily raised, require but little attention, and soon dis- 

 play their flowers, not having to wait for a long period to ascertain the 

 character of the plant. They bloom in profusion, are beautiful, and 

 many of them diffuse a delightful perfume, most amply repaying for 

 any attention, and are ornamental through the entire gloomy months of 

 winter, either in the greenhouse or sitting-room ; and having once 

 obtained a few varieties of fine form and rich colours, a stock for a 

 generation can be perpetuated by seed or suckers. 



