THE ELOEAL WOELD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 301 



85° or 90°, with a warm moist atmosphere and all the light possible, 

 merely shading them from direct sunshine on the forenoons of bright 

 warm days. Endeavour, however, to get the cuttings rooted early 

 in the season, so as to have them well established and some size before 

 winter ; for it is not desirable to keep them growing after the 

 beginning of November, for after that they should be treated with a 

 view to getting the wood well ripened, placing them in an airy part 

 of the Btove and keeping them rather dry at the root. And it may 

 be observed, that in the case of either young or old plants, it is 

 necessary, in order to secure strong growth the following season, 

 to thoroughly ripen the wood and afford the plants a period of rest, 

 placing them while in a dormant state where a temperature of about 

 55° may be maintained by means of fire-heat. As early in spring 

 as circumstances will permit, cut the back wood to prominent eyes, 

 and train the shoots nicely, keeping the points rather low ; and 

 remove the plants to a warm growing temperature, placing them 

 near the glass, and giving sufficient water to the soil to bring this 

 into a healthy moist state. Syringe overhead on the afternoons of 

 bright days, and if convenient to plunge the pots in a mild bottom- 

 heat, this will greatly assist in getting the buds to break thickly. 



In the case of young plants, a small shift should be given as soon 

 as the roots become active, and old specimens, to which it may not 

 be convenient to afford larger pots, may have the ball reduced 

 sufficiently to allow of using a little fresh soil, repotting in the same 

 sized pots. And with the assistance of a little manure water, and 

 slightly reducing the ball every season, specimens will do very well 

 for years in the same sized pots, and will flower more freely than if 

 a luxuriant habit of growth were encouraged by giving large shifts 

 annually. Young plants should, however, be shifted into the pots 

 in which they are to be bloomed, as soon as this may be considered 

 safe, in order to allow of training the shoots to the trellis on which 

 they are to flower. Attend carefully to the wants of the plants 

 during the growing season, keeping them near the glass, and properly 

 supplied with water at the root ; and when the weather becomes hot 

 protect them from the mid-day sun by a thin shade. 



"When large well-furnished speciuiens are obtained, if they do 

 not seem inclined to bloom freely they should be kept rather dry at 

 "the root for a few weeks, using the syringe only to prevent red spider 

 gaining a footing on the foliage. This will check over-luxuriant 

 growth, and greatly assist in promoting a flowering habit ; but it 

 will hardly be necessary to resort to any particular treatment in 

 order to get well-grown specimens to bloom freely. "While in flower 

 the specimens should occupy a cool airy part of the stove, where the 

 flowers will be safe from damp, and not exposed to bright sunshine. 

 Or, if desirable to remove them to the conservatory, this may be 

 done, provided they are gradually prepared for the change of temper- 

 ature, and can be placed in a close warm part of the house. For 

 soil use equal parts of good rich fibry peat and light turfy loam, 

 adding plenty of silver sand to keep the compost porous after the 

 decay of the fibre. 



Pine as this Combretum is as a pot specimen when well done, it 



October. 



