124 THE AMATEUE'S GSEEiraOUSE 



happen to make its appearance, fumigate at once. When they 

 are allowed to get ahead before remedial measures are brought 

 into requisition, it requires double the quantity of tobacco to 

 dislodge the enemies, apart from the injuries they commit. 

 Leave green-fly alone and you may say " we part for ever " to 

 petunias. 



Salvia. — The best of the Salvias are stove plants, but there 

 are a few fine species well adapted for greenhouse culture, and 

 of these 8. splendens is the best. Treat as advised for Bou- 

 vardias, remembering that they love light and w^armth, and, 

 therefore, when taken to the conservatory in the autumn 

 must have good places. It is far better to plant them out 

 every year in May and pot them in September than to grow 

 them always in pots. A rich, sandy, loamy soil will suit all 

 the Salvias, and they will also thrive in peat. 



Solatium. — The cultivation of the scarlet-berried Solanums 

 is so exceedingly simple that any one with ordinary appliances 

 and ordinary skill may have a grand display of them in the 

 autumn in the conservatory. There are several species and 

 varieties which produce red berries; the one commonly grown 

 hitherto has been S. capsicastrum ; but far better, because it 

 makes a bolder bush and bears larger berries, is Williams's 

 Hyhridum compactiim. To get up a stock of this proceed as 

 follows : — PJace an old plant in a warm house and frequently 

 syringe it. When the young sboots are two inches in length, 

 take them ofi" and dib them into sand in a heat of 60° to 70°. 

 When rooted, pot them in a light sandy compost, and give 

 them a moderate heat until they begin to grow ; or sow the 

 seeds in light soil, and place in a steady heat. The latter 

 part of the month of March is the proper time to begin with 

 either seeds or cuttings. From the time they are rooted 

 gradually inure them to ordinary greenhouse temperature and 

 to fresh air, so as by degrees to have them quite hardy by the 

 middle of May. Then plant them out in a piece of rich light 

 soil, in the full sun, fifteen inches apart ; give plenty of water 

 all the summer, and slightly train them out, so as to form open 

 heads. They will require to be twice stopped by nipping ofi" 

 the points of all the shoots in the first and last week of June, 

 and after that must grow as they please. About the middle 

 of September take them up very carefully and pot them. In 



