32 On the Culture of the Calceolaria. 



where, if kept regularly, but moderately watered, they will 

 soon fill the pots with roots, and require to be shifted into a 

 larger size : when they receive their third shift, they may be 

 removed into the greenhouse, placed near the glass, and be 

 watered, twice a week, with clear liquid manure-water, in a 

 tepid state. 



Beautiful as are a great many of the herbaceous class of 

 this very interesting tribe, and desirable as they are. to every 

 lover of flowers, yet, as an ornament for decorating the stage 

 of a greenhouse, the shrubby species and varieties are, in my 

 opinion, much preferable, and for more than one reason. In 

 the first place, they are generally much hardier, and more 

 free of flowering ; and, secondly, they are more easily 

 managed by amateurs who cannot always possess the assist- 

 ance of an experienced or skilful gardener. Another advan- 

 tage is, that, in raising them from cuttings in the fall, and 

 through the dark days of winter, they are much less liable to 

 damp off, than the herbaceous varieties, Some may object, 

 perhaps, that they are not so rich in variety of coloring ; but 

 I can assure all such, that I have seen shrubby varieties, 

 that, for brilliancy of coloring, elegance of shape, and neat- 

 ness of foliage, no plants of any class could surpass them. 



Compost. 



I now come to the soil or compost, most suitable for these 

 plants, and I have found the following will grow and flower 

 them, the best of any I have tried : — To one barrowful of 

 fibrous loam, taken from an old pasture, not more than three 

 or four inches thick, add one barrowful of leaf mould, 

 one fourth of a barrow of well decomposed cow manure, and 

 one fourth of a barrow of heath soil, with sufficient fine char- 

 coal to render the whole free and porous. The whole should 

 be chopped and turned over a few times, that it may be thor- 

 oughly mixed, but not sifted, and all the grubs, slugs, and 

 wireworms, carefully sought for and destroyed, every time it 

 is turned. It ought to be kept in a dry place, and used rather 

 dry than otherwise. 



