354 THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 



procuring good strong young plants from the nursery. If obtained 

 at once, they should be placed in the warmest part of the green- 

 house, and as near the glass as convenient. Water must be care- 

 fully administered to the soil during winter, giving just sufficient 

 to preserve it in a healthy state, and the plants must be guarded 

 against damp ; giving air on fine days, and avoiding wetting the 

 foliage too much. If the plants are supposed to be at all pot-bound, 

 examine the roots, and give a moderate-sized shift early in March, 

 keeping rather close and moist after shifting, and watering very 

 carefully, until the roots get hold of the fresh soil. 



During spring the plants should be placed in a pit or house 

 where the night temperature may average from 40° to 45°, allow- 

 ing it to rise 10° or 15° with sun-heat and a circulation of air, 

 placing them near the glass, aud affording them a nice moist atmo- 

 sphere. Let the branches be nicely tied out, keeping the stronger 

 shoots well down, and pinching out their points, in order to equalize 

 the flow of the sap, and secure a compact, close growth ; but stop- 

 ping should not be performed immediately before or after repotting. 

 When growth fairly commences, take every favourable opportunity 

 of exposing the plants to air, avoiding cold, drying currents, aud 

 moisten, them overhead every flue afternoon, with a fine-rosed 

 syringe ; also give water more freely to the soil. Towards the 

 middle of April, remove the plants to a cold pit, which will be the 

 best situation for them after tine weather sets in, and they will be 

 found to grow much more freely here in summer than in a large or 

 lofty house, where it is always difficult to maintain a moist state of 

 the atmosphere. Should cold drying winds occur after removing 

 the plants to a cold pit, or frame, give air very sparingly, raising 

 the sash ou the sheltered side, and use a thin shade to keep down 

 the temperature, but give air freely on fine days, and secure a 

 thoroughly moist atmosphere, by sprinkling the floor of the pit and 

 the plants overhead early in the afternoon, shutting up for the 

 evening, but giving a little air before retiring for the night. A thin 

 shade should be used for a few hours on the forenoons of bright 

 days, but beginners are apt to use this so as to induce thin weakly 

 growth, and this should be avoided. As growth advances, attend to 

 stopping any shoot which mav be taking the lead of the others, and 

 keep them nicely tied out. If a second is wanted, let this be given 

 before the roots become pot-bound, and see to the ball being in a 

 proper state as to moisture, and also the soil, for there is consider- 

 able risk in shifting pot-bound plants during the heat of summer, 

 and still more if the ball or fresh soil is not in a properly moist 

 state. Remove the plants to a light, airy part of the greenhouse 

 immediately cold damp weather occurs in autumn, and attend to 

 them carefully with water, etc., in winter. If the shoots do not 

 appear as if they would break strongly and make a close growth, 

 cut them slightly back about the beginning of March, and place the 

 plants in the warmest part of the house, keeping them near the 

 glass, and draw the syringe lightly over them in the afternoons of 

 fine days. As soon as they start into growth, examine the state of 

 the roots, and if these are found to be in want of more pot room, 



