250 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



servatory, and when placed there it is absolutely necessary to avoid 

 all extremes in regard to watering, or the consequence will be that 

 the foliage will assume a sickly hue, and prematurely drop off, and 

 the flowers will not be so long-lived as if the soil was kept in 

 a medium condition between wet and dry. When the beauty of the 

 plants begins to fade, they should be turned out to harden off 

 previous to their being cut back in July, being intended for the first 

 blooming in the following May; and the conservatory should be 

 replenished by a batch cut down early in September. 



When the latter have broken, are shaken out and repotted, 

 they should be kept as dormant as possible all the winter. In April 

 they must be shitted into large pots, and at once introduced into the 

 forcing-house, where they should receive the same treatment as the 

 former lot. The plants for the third succession must be selected 

 from those cut down in September. They should be introduced into 

 the forcing-house in April, along with the others ; they should not 

 be shifted then, but stopped back, and when they have broken they 

 should be shifted, and afterwards treated in all respects as the 

 former lots. 



The soil which I use for my plants consists of equal portions of 

 rich friable loam, leaf-mould, and well-decomposed cow-dung, mixed 

 with coarse silver sand and lime rubbish to the amount of about 

 one-eighth of the whole. These should be well incorporated with a 

 spade, but not sifted. For large plants especially, ample drainage is 

 essential — say a few oyster-shells, and over these an inch in thick- 

 ness of the rough siftings of old lime rubbish, then a layer of flaky 

 hot-bed manure. I would here remark that during their earlier 

 stages of growth, the soil should not be of so forcing or heavy a 

 character as for more advanced plants. I mean it should contain 

 more sand and less dung. 



MANETTIA BICOLOE. 



jHERE are many plants in cultivation, which, during the 

 short period they are in flower, have a much more 

 striking appearance than this ; but I scarcely know 

 one which surpasses it in continuance and profusion of 

 blossoms, or is ao accommodating in habit. Being 

 easily propagated, and forming good-sized specimens in one season, 

 it is advisable to keep up a stock of young plants, which occupy 

 less room and are generally more satisfactory than large ones kept 

 after blooming. Short-jointed rather firm bits of youn? wood, 

 planted in sandy peaty soil, covered with a bell-glass, and afforded a 

 gentle bottom-heat, root freely, if properly supplied with moisture 

 and guarded from damp ; and they will probably be ready to pot off 

 in the course of a month or so. After placing them singly in small 

 pots, set them in a close, moist, rather shady situation, until they 

 shall have become established in their pots ; and as soon as that is 

 the case, accustom them to a free circulation of air and full expo- 



