THE AMATEUb's GREENHOUSE AND CONSETIVATORT. 115 



growing temperature, and as the season advances move them 

 to cooler quarters, so that by the middle of August they may 

 be in a light airy house, to ripen the wood and prepare them 

 for flowering. As soon as flowers appear put them into a 

 temperature of 6U°, keep them very clean, and they will con- 

 tinue to flower for four or five months. 



The bedding varieties of bouvardia are more hardy than the 

 lovely longiflora, and may be prepared for the embellishment 

 of the conservatory by a very simple course of culture. In the 

 middle of May secure a sufficient number of plants of the sorts 

 required. Newly-made plants from spring cuttings will not 

 do, but old scrubby ugly ones will answer perfectly. Cut them 

 rather close, so that when they make new shoots they will 

 become neat round bushes, and plant them out in a sunny 

 spot. Give water as required. In the first or second week 

 of July pinch out the points of all shoots, and give no more 

 water. About the middle of September take them up care- 

 fully, and pot them in a light loamy mixture, taking care to 

 injure the roots as little as possible. Give them a good water- 

 ing, and then put them near a wall out of doors M'here the sun 

 will not shine on them, and keep them regularly sprinkled and 

 watered. In the early part of October take them into the 

 greenhouse, and very soon they will begin to flower and make 

 a splendid show. B. Vreelanda, which is a capital bedding 

 plant, is also one of the best for this rough-and-ready course 

 of culture for the production of winter flowers. 



Bouvardias may be easily multiplied by root-cuttings, and 

 those intended for flowering in summer may be wintered in a 

 temperature of 40° to 50°. 



Cttisus. — The pretty greenhouse brooms are so easy to 

 manage that we may dispose of them in a few words. They 

 may be raised from seed without difiiculty, but it requires 

 some experience to raise them from cuttings. The best soil 

 for them is a mixture of peat and loam, with a sixth part sand. 

 Though almost hardy, they like warmth and a moist atmo- 

 sphere when growing. When they become fair-sized trees 

 they will bear rough treatment without harm, and may be win- 

 tered in a cool house, provided they are never touched by 

 frost. "When they are large enough to be in eight-inch pots they 

 may remain in the same pots for several years if assisted with 

 weak manure water in the early summer when making their 



