ON THE CULTURE OF HELIOTROPES. 273 



nefitted by being watered in the blazing sun. In dry weather I 

 always remove plants in the evening, and water them well over- 

 head, and which I continue to do, at the same period, as long as 

 appears necessary. Snowdrop. 



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ARTICLE V.— On the Culture of Heliotropes. By Mr. 

 Henry Ladds. 



Observing that one of your correspondents requests information 

 on the cultivation of those fragrant plants, the Heliotropes, — and 

 having cultivated them very successfully Irt pots, so as to have 

 them in bloom from March to December, — I herewith send you 

 my mode of treatment, for insertion in the Cabinet. 



About the middle of June, the old plants are in vigorous growth, 

 and beginning to bloom. If there are more branches than what 

 I think are necessary, I cut all out excepting five or six on each 

 plant. If I find I have not sufficient for my supply of cuttings, I 

 now cut down some of the old plants to within three inches of the 

 bottom. After dressing off the leaves at the lower part of the cut- 

 tings, (which are about four inches from the end of each shoot,) I 

 insert them in sand and loam, placing them close to the side of 

 the pot, and put them into a frame, where a slight heat is kept, 

 shading them from sun. By the beginning of August, the cut- 

 tings are well rooted. I then pot them into sixties, using a rich 

 soil, and well draining the pots. By the end of August, the plants 

 begin to shew bloom ; as soon as that appears, I cut off the tops, 

 leaving each about 2i inches long. The old plants which I raised 

 last year, will, by the end of August, be nearly exhausted of flowers : 

 from these I take off a good supply of cuttings, and, with those 

 I cut from the young plants in heading down, I provide my next 

 and last supply for the year. These I insert into seed-pans, as 

 close as I can, to strike ; placing them in a strong heat, so as to 

 fjet thorn well rooted before cold weather sets in. I let them stand 

 in these pans through the winter, being a saving of room. 



By the middle of August, those plants I cut down in June will 

 be in bloom. After flowering, I cut the whole of thein down to 

 Within a few inches of the bottom : by this means young shoots 

 are uniformly produced near the roots, which make- the plants 

 upp«ur full, and not so unsightly as when they have long naked 



Voi, II. 2 n 



