POTTED FLOWERING PLANTS 343 



524. Propagation. The cuttings root with some diffi- 

 culty, but if half-ripened wood is taken during June, and 

 inserted in the propagating bench, nearly all of them will 

 root. They should be covered with a close frame to keep 

 the atmosphere moist, and kept cool by shading. 



525. Culture. As soon as well rooted, they should be 

 potted in a sandy loam. Acacias like cool atmospheric 

 conditions, and do not grow satisfactorily when forced. 

 They should be kept in a temperature from 40 to 50 

 during the winter, and allowed to develop in a natural 

 way during March and April. 



The plants have a tendency to become unshapely, and 

 it is well to prune them quite severely, when they are re- 

 potted after the flowering season. As soon as all danger 

 of frosts is over, the plants should be plunged out of doors, 

 the pots being buried to their runs in well-drained soil. 

 They will need some attention during the summer, and the 

 pots moved occasionally, so the roots will not come through 

 into the surrounding soil. 



As soon as the plants have filled the pots with roots, 

 they should be given weak, liquid manure once a week. 

 An effort should be made to stimulate a vigorous growth 

 during the summer, as it is about the only time when aca- 

 cias make very much growth. The plants should be brought 

 into a cool house before the first frosts in the autumn, and 

 given plenty of ventilation during the winter months. A 

 house with a northern exposure particularly suits them. 



GENISTAS 



526. Botanical classification. Order, Leguminosse ; 

 genus, Cytisus (Greek name for a kind of clover) ; species : 

 racemosus, canariensis. 



