294 HOW TO GROW SPECIMEN PLANTS. 



idal form, and by gardeners of taste, as near the natural 

 form of the plant as may be, and that sometimes the 

 shoots are allowed to protrude as far as they safely can, 

 to break some of the stiffness which too many have not 

 the ability to conceal ; but constraint seems to be the 

 prevailing appearance, and some of the most graceful of 

 our favorite plants are thereby rendered artificial. The 

 growing of plants for exhibition is, under these circum- 

 stances, almost a science of itself, and the chief evil to 

 avoid is that of allowing the specimens to get ahead of 

 the training, whatever that may be. Strong supports for 

 the centre branch, and very little else, will do if they 

 are to remain at home; but for exhibition, the several 

 branches must be supported independently, with upright 

 props of wood, until the specimens have attained, within 

 a season or two, the requisite size ; then they ought to 

 have their principal shift, and their "cages" must be 

 put to the pot or tub, and the branches trained to 

 the outer wires instead of to the uprights. By keep- 

 ing this frame well within the rim of the pots with 

 regard to size, and allowing for the growth of a few 

 inches outside, the plants will soon conceal the obnox- 

 ious appearance of the frame, because in many plants 



