THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 177 



be obtained, and planted in light sandy soil, covered with a bell- 

 glass, and afforded a gentle bottom-heat. In the coarse of about a 

 month they will probably be found to bave struck root, and as soon 

 as this is the case, they should be potted singly in small pots; for 

 keeping them in the cutting pots longer than is absolutely neces- 

 sary, tends to produce a weak habit of growth, aud in all cases this 

 should be avoided as far as possible. The young plants should be 

 placed in a close, warm, moist place, and carefully shaded from the 

 sun for about a fortnight after potting singly, by ■which time they 

 will have taken to their pots, and may be treated as established. 



After this they should ba placed in a closed pit, or moderately 

 warm house, keeping them near the glass, and syringing them over- 

 head on the mornings and afternoons of bright days. Being of a very 

 free habit of growth, if all goes on well, a shift will soon be required, 

 and they should not be allowed to suffer for waut of pot-room in 

 this stage, but should be shifted into pots two sizes larger as soon 

 as they require it, kept moist, and rather close until the roots strike 

 into the fresh soil. When this is the case, give air freely on every 

 available opportunity, in order to induce a strong compact habit of 

 growth, and, if necessary, to keep the plants bushy, stop the lead- 

 ing shoot ; but if a vigorous root action is maintained, stopping will 

 hardly be necessary. 



Where the object is to grow large specimens before flowering, 

 the plants should be kept growing as rapidly as possible during the 

 summer and autumn, affording them pot room as may be necessary, 

 and a gentle bottom-heat would be of great assistance towards in- 

 ducing rapid growth. The best situation for them in winter, will 

 be an intermediate house, where the temperature may range about 

 50°, for they should not be checked, either by too low a tempera- 

 ture, or the want of water, as this would probably produce a ten- 

 dency to flowering, and cause some difficulty in getting them to start 

 away freely in spring, and neither should they be kept as warm as 

 to encourage growth. About the beginning of March will be the 

 proper time to place them in growing circumstances, and with suit- 

 able convenience and attention, fine plants will be easily secured by 

 the autumn. 



They should be placed in a gentle bottom-heat, kept near the 

 glass, and as soon as growth commences, the roots should be 

 examined, giving a liberal shift if necessary. Keep the shoots 

 nicely tied out to prevent their growing too closely together and 

 injuring each other; and make sure of having the specimens well 

 furnished towards the bottom. A second shift will probably be 

 required towards May, and this should be into the flowering pots, 

 the size of which must be regulated by circumstances ; a fifteen-inch 

 pot will be sufficiently large for a fine specimen, and will, no doubt, 

 be found large enough for plants of but two seasons' growth. 

 Stopping must not be practised later than the middle of August, 

 and the plants should be kept rather dry at the root, and more 

 freely exposed to air from the eud of September to the middle 

 of November, which will mature the wood, and prepare it for flower- 

 ing. By placing them in heat, and supplying them liberally with 



June. 12 



