THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 87 



proportions, well intermixed with plenty of sharp sand to secure 

 rapid drainage, cutting the shoots well back to strong prominent 

 eyes. After potting, plunge in a sharp bottom-heat, and maintain a 

 moist atmosphere by frequent syringings, but carefully avoid over- 

 watering the soil until the plants fairly start into growth. 



The shoots may be loosely trained to stakes until the plants can 

 be shifted into their flowering-pots, when light wire trellises may 

 be applied, so as to enable them to be kept neatly and regularly 

 tied. There is no danger of over-potting a plant like this, for with 

 good management, plenty of light, and the command of heat and 

 moisture, it will fill a 20-inch pot, and form an immense specimen 

 in the course of a few months, or it will bloom nicely in a 12-inch 

 pot, forming a handsome, moderate-sized plant. Therefore, the size 

 of the flowering-pot may be regulated by circumstances, the only 

 difference being that the plants will bloom earlier, and their beauty 

 will be shorter lived in small pots, and vice versd. If a large shift 

 is given, however, be very careful not to give too much water to the 

 soil until the roots reach the sides of the pot, and when this is the 

 case a liberal supply of clear manure water should be administered. 

 Keep the shoots regularly trained to the trellis, and continue to 

 keep up a brisk bottom-heat, with a warm, moist, humid atmosphere, 

 until they are fairly in bloom, when they may be gradually prepared 

 for removal to the show-house ; and if this is done carefully, and 

 they are afforded a close corner not exposed to draughts, they will 

 continue to unfold their brilliant flowers for a very long period. By 

 taking care to get the wood well ripened, affording the plants a 

 period of rest, and disrooting, etc., as recommended above, the 

 specimens will last for any number of years. 



NEW BOOK. 



The Amateur's Kitchen Garden, Frame Ground, and Forcing Fit. 

 By Shirley Hibberd. London: G-roonib ridge and Sons. 



jT is hardly allowable for us to express an opinion on the 

 merits of this volume ; which we are sure will be wel- 

 comed by very many of our readers, but with the view 

 of explaining the object and scope of the book, we quote 

 the opinion formed of it by our clever and practical 

 contemporary, " The Journal of Horticulture " : — 



"This volume forms part of a series of gardening books for 

 amateurs which the author has from time to time produced, and 

 which have met with a considerable amount of public favour. This 

 is certainly not the least useful of the series ; it is also attractive, 

 for it is well printed on toned paper, and contains plans, diagrams, 

 and illustrations elucidatory of the text, and also a few too highly 

 coloured plates. These were, perhaps, included, with the object of 

 lightening the subject-matter of the book, which the title might 

 suggest as being somewhat heavy. Kitchen gardening is pro- 

 verbially hard work. It consists largely of digging, trenching, and 



March. 



