THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 251 



sure to sunshine, in order to induce a close, thick hahit of growth. 

 Cutting roots early in spring, placed in a moist pit or house, 

 supplied with pot-room as may be necessary, and kept rather warm, 

 will make nice stocky plants in nine-inch pots in the course of the 

 summer j and if kept growing gently during the winter in a tempe- 

 rature of from 50° to 60°, and shifted into their flowering pots 

 early in March, and retained in a nice moist growing temperature of, 

 say, 55° or 60° at night, allowing it to rise some 10° with sunshine 

 before giving air, under proper management, will form large speci- 

 mens, and bloom abundantly from early in June till late in autumn. 

 This plant never flowers with much effect until the pots are tolerably 

 full of roots ; therefore, manure water should be given frequently 

 during the blooming season, which greatly assists in maintaining 

 vigorous health and prolonging the period of flowering. While 

 they are in blossom, the plants should occupy a situation where 

 they can be kept sufficiently close to induce a little growth, and 

 the warmest part of the greenhouse will be found sufficiently warm 

 during the summer to effect this object ; but it will probably be 

 necessary to remove them to where they can be assisted with a little 

 fire-heat when cold cloudy weather sets in in autumn. Let the 

 object be to keep them growing very slowly, and with moderate 

 convenience this will be easily effected. 



Plants, however, that have bloomed during most of the summer, 

 will become less attractive than younger specimens, which should 

 be prepared for winter flowering, so as to have them ready to shift 

 into their blooming pots early in June, and to be kept in a moist 

 growing pit during the summer. A cold frame or pit may be so 

 managed as to form a very suitable situation for the growth of the 

 plant at this season, and a pit where the aid of a gentle heat from a 

 dung-lining can be obtained, is the best possible place for growing 

 the plants during the summer. They should be removed to a light 

 airy part of a house, where the night temperature is maintained at 

 about 50°, and sparingly supplied with water until they commence 

 blooming, if this should be necessary ; but it will seldom be neces- 

 sary to resort to means to induce plants to produce blossoms that 

 have been some four months in their flowering pots. Plants thus 

 prepared, if afforded a light situation, and a temperature of from 

 55° to 65°, will bloom abundantly throughout the winter and spring 

 months. It will, however, be necessary to water with care, and to 

 use every means to maintain the specimens in a healthy state, giving 

 manure water in a clear, weak state, if the plants appear to require 

 it ; but those in vigorous health will flower more abundantly with- 

 out the application of this stimulant. 



I am not partial to the use of trellises for plants where they can 

 be dispensed with, and this Manettia may, with timely and con- 

 tinual stopping, be trained to stakes in the form of a dense compact 

 bush, which, to my taste, is much handsomer than where trellises 

 are employed. If it is intended to keep specimens that have 

 bloomed for further uso, they should be removed to a rather cool, 

 airy position as soon as they become at all shabby ; be cut back 

 rather closely, well thinning out the shoots ; and before starting 



August. 



