86 THE BOOK OF THE GREENHOUSE 



until rooted. The green form is best raised from seeds 

 sown in the ordinary way and placed in an intermediate 

 temperature to germinate. Many people fail to raise 

 seedlings owing to the fact that the seeds they get have 

 lost their germinating power, as they do after a very 

 few months of storing. Seeds ripen with us in April 

 and, if then sown almost directly, every seed will 

 germinate. The prevailing custom of ordering in all 

 seeds quite early in the year prevents the seedsmen from 

 supplying new seeds of this plant. Order in April and 

 insist on having new seeds. 



Ficus elastica. The Indiarubber plant is a universal 

 favourite. To be seen at its best for greenhouse pur- 

 poses and for room decoration, it should be in the form 

 of a single-stemmed plant, clothed from bottom to top 

 with well developed leaves. Directly a plant gets leggy, 

 it should be treated as advised for the tops of Cordylines, 

 i.e., induced to root just below the lowest leaf into a 

 bunch of moss, or a split pot, before cutting it away from 

 the parent stem. In making the incisions from which 

 roots will form cut into the stem to a depth of about one- 

 third of its diameter on either side, leaving the remaining 

 portion to draw up sap for the support of the top until it 

 becomes self-supporting, when it may be cut away and 

 kept shaded and well syringed for a few days. In green- 

 houses with only a moderate amount of heat, this way of 

 propagating should be carried out early in spring, so 

 that the plants may be repotted and well rooted into 

 the new soil before winter. Fibrous sandy loam with 

 about a third of leaf mould is a suitable compost for the 

 Ficus, and the pots need not be large in proportion to 

 the plants. The leaves should be frequently sponged 

 over with soft water, and every care taken to guard 

 them from injury either through rough treatment or from 

 scorching. The roots should be kept well watered and 



