300 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



order to get the wood well ripened, and remove them to their winter 

 quarters, which should be a light airy part of the greenhouse, before 

 there is any danger of their suffering from damp or cold. la 

 winter, and while in a dormant state, keep them rather dry at root, 

 and guard them from cold winds, but give plenty of air on mild 

 days. To obtain specimens of any size it will be necessary to afford 

 them another season's growth, and in this case the shoots should be 

 cut back as much as may appear requisite to ensure a close bushy 

 habit of growth, and the plants placed in growing circumstances 

 early in spring, treating them during the season as already recom- 

 mended. But if the plants are to be allowed to bloom, they should 

 be left in the greenhouse until the flowers open, and may then be 

 removed to a cool airy part of the conservatory, carefully shading 

 them from bright sunshine, to prolong the beauty of the flowers. 

 After flowering, cut the shoots back to keep the specimens compact 

 and bushy, and place them where they can be afforded a cool moist 

 atmosphere until the buds start into growth; then give a moderate 

 shift if necessary, and treat them during the growing season as 

 nearly as possible as recommended for young plants; for free 

 growth need hardly be expected without the assistance of a moist", 

 rather close, atmosphere. For soil, use the very best fibry peat 

 that can be obtained, breaking it up iuto small lumpy bits, and 

 adding a liberal proportion of sharp silver s.uid, with a small 

 quantity of lumpy bits of charcoal or clean potsherds. Well inter- 

 mix the whole together, so as to provide for the free percolation of 

 water through the ball after the decay of the fibre; aud in pottinj 

 care should be used to provide perfect drainage. 



COMBRETUM PURPUREUM. 



fHERE space in a warm house can be commanded, this 

 forms a most useful subject, producing its large feathery- 

 like panicles of bright crimson flowers, which last long 

 in beauty, very freely. It is useless, however, to hope 

 to do any good with it except where room can be at 

 command to grow large specimens ; for the flowers are seldom borne 

 freely only upon the lateral, or second growths, and to have these 

 strong and short-jointed, which should be the case, it is necessary to 

 train the principal shoots thinly, aud the plant being a free grower, 

 a large sized trellis is indispensable. 



This Combretum is generally found by amateurs to be rather 

 difficult to propagate, but this is doubtless the result of not selecting 

 fit pieces for cuttings ; for short-jointed firm bits of young wood, 

 treated in the ordinary manner, root very freely, aud these are 

 easily obtained from pot-bound specimens. The cuttings should be 

 potted singly in small p its as soon as they are sufficiently rooted, 

 plunging the pots in a brisk bottom-heat, in a warm moist situation. 

 When well established, shift iuto pots about two sizes larger, and 

 during the growing season afford the young plants a bottom-heat of 



