1SG THE ELORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



the latter, as it affords better means of supplying its wants, and you 

 have a much better command over the temperature in a pit than in 

 a greenhouse. When placed in a nice dry pit, keep it close for a 

 few days. If the sun should be bright, shade in the heat of the 

 day, but not too long. After two or three days, begin to give a 

 little air by lifting the light behind, and increase the quantity as the 

 plant advances in growth, bearing in mind never to expose it to 

 draughts or cutting winds ; for, rest assured, if you do your plant 

 will soon become brown and sickly. Pay great attention, likewise, 

 to watering, which is another important point. Never allow it 

 to become dry. When it is perceived that it has begun to feel its 

 shift (which its appearance will readily indicate), give a gentle 

 syringing overhead in fine bright weather, and close your pit in 

 good time in the afternoon. In the course of a month or six weeks, 

 the plant will have made vigorous growth, and now is the time to 

 form a fine specimen. When it is receiving the full benel't of ita 

 shift, and throwing out strong and vigorous wood, give it a regular 

 topping, and prune it into what shape you may prefer. Take the 

 points off every shoot. Some of the strong ones may be topped as 

 much as three inches, others only two, and some even less, always 

 using your own judgment in this matter, and topping according to 

 the strength of the branch. When this is done, place the plant 

 agaiu in the pit, syringing it frequently, and in a short time it will 

 break forth regularly all over, and form a splendid specimen. When 

 it has made growth from three to four inches in length, begin 

 gradually to give more air, and follow this up until autumn. When 

 the time has arrived to place it in its winter quarters, after you 

 have hardened it and retarded its growth, on a very calm mild day, 

 you may take the lights entirely off, but never allow them to be 

 taken quite off during cold stormy weather. I have seen many 

 growers expose their Boronias out of doors, along with other green- 

 house plants ; but I cannot agree with them in this practice, as I 

 certainly never saw a plant subjected to this treatment which kept 

 long in health ; they become brown and rusty in foliage. I am 

 certain that the constitution of this species is too delicate to be kept 

 in health long, if exposed to winds or rain. When you place it in 

 its winter quarters, make choice of a nice light situation in the 

 greenhouse, as near the glass as can be conveniently found, but not 

 exposed to draughts. 



Be very particular in watering during the winter, and never 

 allow it to become too dry. Here it will soon begin to show its 

 bloom-buds from top to bottom, and, by keeping your house mode- 

 rate in temperature, never allowing the frost to enter, nor, if 

 possible, raising it above 50°, it will push very gradually, and open 

 blooms about the month of April or May, of the most beautiful 

 colours. There are several other sjecies of this genus, and most of 

 them are indispensable to fine collections of plants ; but all the 

 others will thrive well under the treatment I have just been des- 

 cribing, until they have made their summer's growth, when they 

 may all be exposed to the open air, which will strengthen and 

 harden them for their winter's rest. By no means, however, allow 



