SUMMER TBEATMENT TYIN&, WEEDING, AND STIREING. 87 



appropriate shelters are glazed lights. These should be put on 

 during heavy falls of rain or hail, or even strong gales of wind ; 

 but, then s air should be given by tilting the lights behind closed 

 frames in wet weather being very unhealthful to these somewhat 

 tender plants. 



Tying. As the flower-stems advance in height neat sticks 

 should be carefully thrust into the soil, keeping a sufficient distance 

 off the fleshy tubers. Tie with soft bast mat, and tie it loosely, 

 eo that the stems will not be strangled, and spread out the 

 flower-stems when numerous that each may stand clear by itself. 

 Nothing looks so slovenly as flower-stems huddled together in 

 bundles like a birch broom, and, besides being ill-looking, the 

 plants sustain a serious injury when the stems are tied so closely 

 together. The leaves do not obtain light, and, consequently, 

 turn yellow and drop off a misfortune that prevents the 

 increase in size of the plant. 



Weeding and Stirring the Soil. The best management of 

 weeds is never to allow them to advance beyond the seed-leaf. 

 The labour of weeding is lessened thereby, and the nutriment 

 of the soil saved for its legitimate purpose the support of 

 the cultivated plants, and more especially the benefit will be felt 

 by plants that have to draw their support from the limited 

 pasture of soil contained in pots. The soil in pots by frequent 

 waterings becomes crusted on the surface, closing it against the 

 admission of air and heat to the roots ; hence it is benefited 

 largely by stirring the surface whenever it becomes hard. A 

 small stick is as good an implement as any for this purpose, oare 

 being taken not to disturb or injure the roots or stems in per- 

 forming this operation. Besides opening the soil to the kindly 

 influences of the atmosphere, it gives a freshness and neat- 

 ness to the collection, and prevents the growth of mosses and 

 lichens. In the autumn this stirring of the surface by admitting 

 air to the interior of the soil assists the ripening of the tubers 

 and fibrous fleshy roots, and thus hastens the period of rest. 



Let all the points of summer daily culture be duly attended 



