ON THK CULTIVATION OF THE BALSAM, 57 



May to October. As soon as frost is apprehended, take up the 



plants, and repot them. These plants, when turned out in May 



following, will bloom much finer than those raised from seed when 



one year old. 



George Harrison. 



Downham Market, March I3th, 1833. 



ARTICLE Y.—071 the Cultivation of the Balsam, {Tm- 

 pdtiens Balsamina.) By Saimt Patrick. 



Obsennng in page 20 of the Floricultural Cabinet and Florist's 

 Magazine, tliat Flora solicits a little infonnation on the cultivation 

 of the Balsam, ard as the time is fast approaching for sowing the 

 seeds, I beg leave to offer you the steps I take in the culture of 

 this plant I generally sow for the first time about the 1st of 

 April, and once a month afterwards for a succession. I sow in 

 48-sized pots, using light mould ; the pots are plunged in a hot- 

 bed frame, and a garden-pot placed inversely over the one in 

 which the seed is in, which greatly assists the seed in vegetating. 

 As soon as the plants appear, I remove the pot, and admit air 

 sufficient to prevent them being drawn up weakly. When 

 water is required, I pour it round the side of the pot until it has 

 covered the surfaee of the mould. When the plants have grown 

 three or four inches high, I pot tliem off singly into 60-sized pots, 

 and afterwards replunge them into the frame. The compost I use 

 is a strong rich loam, with one-third of rotten manure and night 

 soil. This is well mixed together six months before wanted for 

 potting, and frequently turned over during frosty weather. The 

 tops of the plants are kept at all times within one foot of the glass, 

 and air is freely admitted in order to keep the plants strong. I 

 water them twice a week with manure water, made from hogs' and 

 deers' dung. As soon as the pots are filled with roots, I remove them 

 into 48-sized pots, with their balls entire, and replunge them in 

 the frame. The heat is generally kept at 70 degrees. Should 

 any blossoms appear, I cut them off. The plants soon require 

 potting into 32-si/.ed pots, and all blossoms then shewing are taken 

 away a.s they put forth. When the jjlants have got wcll-(;stablishcd 

 in these pots, I remove them into 24's, and afterwards allow the 



blossoms to remaiu. 



I 



