THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 249 



then for two or three days, and, when thoroughly dry, I shake them 

 out of their pots, trim in any straggling roots, and re-pot into as 

 small pots as the roots will admit of, shaking the mould well in 

 among the fibres. "When potted I set them in the shade, and give 

 them a good watering, to make the soil firm ; afterwards I water 

 sparingly, until they have begun to grow freely, when they require 

 a more liberal supply, especially iu dry hot weather, when they may 

 be watered twice a day all over their leaves, from a fine-rosed pot. 



In about a week or ten days' time, I remove them to a situation 

 where they are exposed to the full influence of the sun during the 

 greater part of the day. "When they have well filled their pots 

 with roots, they are shitted into others, two sizes larger than those 

 in which they are flowered. 



About this stage of their growth care is especially taken to rub 

 off all young shoots except one or two on each main branch, and 

 these should be as equal in size and strength as possible all over the 

 plant, in order that they may all flower at the same period, which 

 they will do, or nearly so, provided too many be not left on the 

 plants ; and, as large trusses of flowers are more attractive than 

 small ones, though there may be double the number of the latter, it 

 is necessary to encourage the strongest and healthiest shoots only. 

 I should say for a plant in a six-inch pot, two shoots would be 

 sufficient to leave ; for one in an eight-inch pot, three or four ; and for 

 one in an eleven-inch pot, from four to six, the grand point being, as 

 before stated, to get all the shoots left on the plants to bloom at the 

 same time. The trusses will keep in perfection for a month or 

 six weeks. A strong one-year-old plant, with a single stem, flowered 

 hydrangea-fashion, presents a brilliant appearance. In staging the 

 plants for the winter, I place them as near the glass as possible, and 

 give no more water than merely keeps them from flagging. About 

 the beginning of February they are introduced to the forcing house, 

 and placed where they can receive the greatest amount of sun. 

 They there require an increased supply of water ; and when they 

 have commenced growing vigorously, and while throwing up their 

 flower-trusses, they like a copious supply, in bright dry weather 

 sometimes twice a day, gently syringing the foliage and flower- 

 trusses with a fine-rosed syringe, morning and evening. Liquid 

 manure made from sheep's droppings, applied two or three times a 

 week, adds much to the strength of the truss and to the beauty of 

 the foliage ; but this should not be applied till the trusses have 

 made their appearance. As soon as these can be plainly distin- 

 guished from the points of the shoots, the latter must be carefully 

 nipped off, immediately before them. The flower-stalks will then 

 take the lead and grow most vigorously, A stick will be required 

 for each shoot, but it should not show above the foliage ; the flower- 

 stalk will be sufficiently strong to support the truss. Soon after 

 the shoots are stopped, they will send out laterals. These should be 

 picked out with the point of a knife on their first appearance, 

 in order that the whole energy of the plant may bo directed to the 

 main shoots and flower-trusses. By tho middle or end of May, 

 plants treated as above will be in excellent order for the con- 



Aoguat. 



