THE FLORAL WOKLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 157 



growth completed by the end of September, and should be kept dry 

 at the root, and cool for a month, which will effectually cbeck all 

 tendency to the formation of wood, and prepare the specimens for 

 blooming. After allowing a short period of rest, give them a liberal 

 supply of water at the root, placing them in a temperature of 50 Q 

 or 55°, when flowers will soon be produced in abundance. Under 

 the most favourable circumstances, the individual blossoms are not 

 of long duration, and care should be exercised to prevent them being 

 injured by damp, and to remove them as soon as they fade, other- 

 wise the decayed flowers will greatly detract from the beauty of the 

 finest specimen. After blooming, cut back the shoots severely, 

 leaving only sufficient wood to form a good foundation, and place 

 the plants in any spare corner of a pit, or wherever they will be 

 safe from frost, and give no more water to the soil than will suffice 

 to prevent its becoming very dry. 



In the case of old plants, from which only a moderate growth is 

 expected, it will be unnecessary to start them into growth until 

 towards June ; but young plants may be started after allowing them 

 about a month's rest. Old plants should be turned out of their 

 pots, reducing ball, so as to be able to re-pot in fresh stuff in the 

 same sized pots, placing them in a nice, moist, warm tempera- 

 ture, to induce free growth, but avoid over-watering at the root at 

 this stage. If thrips make their appearance upon the plants, and 

 they are somewhat liable to this pest during the early stage of 

 their growth, apply tobacco smoke, in moderate doses, on two succes- 

 sive evenings, which will entirely destroy the thrips. Good mellow 

 turfy loam, mixed with a little well-decayed cow dung, or leaf soil, 

 and a portion of clean sharp sand to keep it porous, will be found 

 more suitable for the growth of this plant than a lighter compost. 



CYTISUS CANARIENSIS. 



»HIS beautiful and free-flowering shrub is exceedingly 

 well adapted for conservatory display during the spring 

 months, inasmuch as it presents an admirable contrast 

 to the delicate colours of the Chinese Azaleas, and the 

 more gorgeous masses of Indian, and hybrid Rhodo- 

 dendrons which ought to abound in all such structures in the earlier 

 part of the season. It is also an excellent subject for bouquets, the 

 bright yellow colour of its spikes yielding sprightliness and variety 

 when used in conjunction with Camellias, Roses, Primulas, Cinerarias, 

 and such like ; whilst Violets, Sweet Briar, Balm of Gilead, and 

 sprigs of Myrtle, furnish the requisite sweetness. It is grown here 

 in bottomless pots, plunged to the rim in the conservatory bed. By 

 this means it is kept within moderate bounds, and flowers more 

 freely when grown in the open soil. This system also insures a 

 positive degree of health which large pot-bound specimens seldom 

 present for any lengthened period ; the plants are moreover readily 



May. 



