THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 109 



SALVIA SPLENDENS. 



glUTTINGrS of this gay winter-flowering plant may be put 

 in now, and afforded a gentle bottom-heat until they 

 emit roots, when they should be potted singly in small 

 pots. After potting place them in a close but not over 

 warm situation, and as soon as they get established keep 

 them near the glass, and afford them all the light possible, syringing 

 overhead morning and evening in bright weather, and keeping the 

 atmosphere as moist as circumstances will admit. If good-sized 

 specimens are wished by the autumn, the young plants must not be 

 allowed to suffer for want of pot-room. As they advance in growth 

 the shoots should be carefully stopped and tied out, in order to 

 secure bushy compact specimens ; but if a vigorous root-action is 

 maintained, there will be little difficulty in keeping the plants bushy. 

 A cold frame or pit will be the best situation for them after the 

 beginning of May, or earlier if the weather proves favourable; but 

 they should be kept close here, and not allowed to sustain any check, 

 which at this stage would be very injurious. If all goes on well, the 

 plants will be ready for shitting into good-sized pots by the end of 

 June, and I seldom repot them after that season. By that time they 

 should be strong and well established in eight-inch pots, and when 

 this is the case I shift some into twelve and others into fifteen-inch 

 pots, according to the strength of the plants and the size it may be 

 desirable to have them by the flowering season. They should be 

 returned to their former situation, kept close and moist, and 

 encouraged to make active growth, merely giving sufficient air to 

 keep the young wood strong. When the pots get well filled with 

 roots, and the plants become good-sized specimens, which will be the 

 case by August, they should be gradually prepared for removal to a 

 sheltered situation out of doors, where they will be shaded from the 

 forenoon sun. Here they will make short growth, and will flower 

 more profusely than if kept under glass all the autumn. Stopping 

 should not be practised on plants intended to flower in November 

 later than about the middle of August. As soon as the weather 

 becomes unsettled in autumn, the plants must be placed under glass, 

 for they are very easily injured by frost, and should be afforded a 

 light airy situation. After flowering, the specimens may be thrown 

 io the rubbish heap, reserving one or two to supply cuttings. These 

 should lie kept dry at the roots for a fortnight, then cut back rather 

 closely, and placed in any spare corner of the greenhouse, until 

 towards the end of February, when they should be placed in a warm 

 house, and thoroughly watered, when they will soon furnish a supply 

 j> cuttings. 



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