130 THE FORCING GARDEN. 



then give tepid water so as to wet the soil fairly through, 

 and shade them (especially the Gesneras and Achimenes) 

 from the sun ; for if the sun's rays fall upon the foliage 

 it will be discoloured and the plants spoilt as regards 

 their beauty for the season. As soon as these have made 

 say two inches of young growth, pot them off into five- 

 inch pots, placing three roots in each pot. The Gesnera 

 zebrina and this class should have a six-inch pot for 

 three roots, using a little stronger compost, i.e. one 

 having more loam in it. 



The Plectopomas and Achimenes may be made into 

 exquisite ornaments for the conservatory by bedding 

 them in moss and fine sifted leaf-mould, and filling 

 globular wire baskets with handles, by which they may 

 be suspended by means of a wire from the roof of a 

 lofty house. This is especially the case with the free- 

 flowering and clear-coloured Achimenes, such as old 

 longiflora (blue) and longiflora alba, two remarkable 

 and showy sorts ; these will appear almost of celestial 

 beauty for many weeks. To meet the object in view 

 perfectly, each basket must be well filled or there will 

 be a defect in the display. The plants should be 

 bedded in with the moss in layers with their points 

 showing out all round, but not more than three inches 

 apart. A single basket of the ordinary size will take 

 perhaps fifty, sixty, or eighty plants ; but as the 

 Achimenes are multiplied so fast and so easily, it does 

 not take much to fill a dozen or two of such baskets. 



It is quite astonishing what a number of fine bulbs 

 one of these baskets will turn out in one season. The 

 moss and leaf-mould together seem exactly the thing for 

 them ; the rhizomes run into it, forming bulbs in abund- 

 ance which I find are larger and much healthier than 



