226 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



that early in the spring a largo plant 

 exists which it is deemed advisable to 

 break up, turn it out of the pot, and if 

 the roots are very much matted and 

 the soil of an adhesive character, it will 

 be difficult to separate them without 

 breaking ; to avoid this place the plant 

 in a tub large enough to admit the ball, 

 half fill it with tepid water, and work 

 out all the soil with the fingers, which 

 will leave the roots so that they can be 

 separated with little breakage. The 

 bulbs may be divided with a knife at 

 the point where they adhere to each 

 other, or they may be parted by hand, 

 putting them singly, or two or three 

 together, in pots from 5 inches to 7 

 inches in diameter. When growing, a 

 copious supply of water is required ; 

 consequently the pots must be well 

 drained. This Eucharis will thrive in 

 good turfy loam, to which add as much 

 sand as will keep it porous. Pot firmly 

 without injuring the roots, and cover 

 the bulbs to about half their depth. 

 Do not give much water until growth 

 has commenced. Place them at once 

 in a temperature of 70°; if they can be 

 plunged in a bottom heat 10° higher, 

 they will progress all the quicker. In 

 this temperature they will grow fast. 

 Shade slightly during the hottest })art 

 of the day in very bright weather, but 

 in doing so do not darken the plants 

 too much, or they will grow up weakly. 

 Let them have a moderate amount of 

 air earlv in the dav, shuttinj? it off in 

 good time in the afternoon, and syring- 

 ing overhead at the same time. They \ 

 will bear during summer as much heat ! 

 as the generality of stove plants. It i 

 will not be advisable the first summer j 

 to rest the smaller bulbs for flowering, 

 as it will be better to get as much i 

 growth as possible. Early in August 

 shift them into pots two inches larger 

 than those they are in ; continue to 

 give them a liberal amount of heat and 

 moisture, both at the roots and in the 



atmosphere, until autumn, by which 

 time they will have made considerable 

 progress. 



Drying them off. — At this time, 

 when the leaves are fully matured, cease 

 shading, and gradually withhold water 

 till the soil gets so dr}'- as to cause the 

 leaves to flag slightly, but so as not to 

 injure them, giving a little before this 

 occurs, just to freshen them up, and 

 again alternating the treatment by dry- 

 ing and then slightly watering them. 

 Continue this treatment for a month, 

 during which time they can be kept in 

 a night temperature of 55° with a few 

 degrees more warmth during the day, 

 when they may be well watered and 

 placed in 10° more heat ; if they can be 

 plunged in 10° higher than this it will 

 bs still better. So managed they will 

 quickly push up their flower stems, and 

 they should be encouraged by sup})ly- 

 ing them with })lenty of water at the 

 roots, and as much heat as is consistent 

 with the diminished ligh't of the season. 

 Thus treated, when their blooming is 

 over they will grow on slowly through 

 the winter, and after their full develop- 

 ment they may again be submitted to 

 the drying and resting process, after 

 which increase the temperature, give 

 ,water, and treat them in every way as 

 be ore. This alternate growing, rest- 

 ing and flowering can be practised two 

 or three times in the year with the best 

 results without injuring the plants in 

 the least. Do not at any time pinch 

 them as regards pot room. When the 

 soil is well tilled with roots they will 

 be much benefited by a good soaking 

 with manure water once or twice a 

 week. For general purposes moderate- 

 sized plants in 1 2-inch or 1 3-inch pots 

 will be found the most convenient, but 

 where it is desired they may be grown 

 on into specimens 6 feet across by 

 simply using pots or tubs proportionate 

 in size. When large they make fine 

 exhibition plants, their genei-al appear- 



