PEL 



PEL 



ciillings should ihercforc be planted in pots 

 filled with the same son of earth, and plunged 

 into a very moderate hot-bed, where thev may 

 be shaded from the sim in the heat of the day, 

 and have but little water; for these are very apt 

 -to rot with nuich moisture. When these are well 

 rooted, tht-ymav be removed, arid planted in se- 

 parate pots filled with the same sort of earth, and 

 placed in the shade till they have taken new- 

 root; then they may bd removed into a sheltered 

 situation, where they may remain till au- 

 tumn. These sorts should be sparingly watered, 

 especially in the winter season, as they are apt 

 to take a niouldincsd with moisture, or in a 

 damp air. They thrive much better in an airy 

 glass-case than in a green-house, as in the 

 former they have more sun and air than in the 

 latter. But all the other shrubby sorts are pro- 

 per for the green-house, where they only re- 

 quire protection from frost, but should have a 

 large share of free air when the weather is mild. 

 They require water every week, in mild weather 

 .once or twice; but it should not be given them 

 in too great plenty, especially in frosty weather. 

 These plants should be hardened in the spring 

 gradually, and towards the middle or end of 

 May be taken out of the green-house, and at 

 first placed under the shelter of trees, where 

 they may remain a fortnight or three weeks to 

 harden ; and then be removed into a situation 

 ■where they may be defended from strong winds, 

 and enjoy the morning sun till eleven o'clock, 

 where they will thrive better than in a warmer 

 situation. And as these sorts grow pretty fast, 

 they soon fill the pots with their roots; and 

 when thev stand long unremoved in summer, 

 .they frequently put out their roots through the 

 holes at the bottom of the pots into the ground, 

 when the plants grow vigorously ; but if sufi'ered 

 to continue long in this manner, it is difficult to 

 remove tl>em ; as, if their roots be torn off, all 

 the younger branches decav, and the plants are 

 frequently killed. The pots should therefore be 

 moved once in a fortnight or three weeks, in 

 the summer months, and the roots which 

 may be then pushing thiough the holes cut off, 

 to prevent their striking into the ground. 



They require also to be new potted at least 

 twice in the summer ; the first time after they 

 have been three weeks or a month out of the 

 green-house; the second towards the end of 

 August, or the beginning of September, that the 

 plants may have time to establish their new roots 

 before they are removed into the green- house. 

 When this is performed, all the roots on the 

 joutttide of the balls of earth should be carel'ully 

 pared off, and as nnich of the old earth drawn 

 away from the roots, as can be done with safely 



to the plants; then, where they require it, they 

 should be put into pots a .^ize larger than those 

 out of wdiich they were taken, putting a quan- 

 tity of fresh eatth into the bottom of each pot, 

 )ilacing the plants upon it, being careful that 

 the ball about the roots of the plant be not 

 so high as the rim of the pot, that some room 

 may be left to contain the water which may be 

 given to them. Then the cavity all round the 

 ball should be filled up with fresh earth, be 

 gently pressed down, and the bottom of the pot 

 beaten upon the ground, to settle the earth ; the 

 plant being then well watered, and the stem 

 fastened so as to prevent the wind from dis- 

 placing the roots before they are fixed in the 

 new earth. 



Where such mould as has been mentioned 

 cannot be procured, fresh hazel loam from a 

 pasture, mixed with a fourth or a fifth part of 

 rotten duno; ; or, where the carih is inclinable to 

 bind, a mixture of rotten tan ; and, where light 

 and warm, a mixture of neat's-dung may be em- 

 ployed. This compost should be mixed three 

 or four months before it is used, and be turned 

 over three or four times, that the parts may be 

 well incorporated. 



The shrubby sorts require to be looked over 

 frcquentlv during the winter, while thev are in 

 the green-house, to pick off all decayed leaves 

 from them, which if left on will not only 

 render the plants unsightly, but by their falling 

 off make a litter among the other plants ; and 

 if thev are suffered to rot in the house, they 

 occasion a foul, nasty, damp air, which is very 

 prejudicial to all the plants. 



'i'he first sort from having herbaceous stalks 

 is best increased by seeds, though cuttings of it 

 will take root. 



And the second sort may not only be propa- 

 gated by seeds, but also from heads slipped off 

 from the short fleshy stalk ; which should have 

 their lower leaves stripped off, and be then 

 planted single in a small pot ; or where the 

 heads are small, two or three may be put into 

 one pot ; plunging them into a very moderate 

 hot-bed, shading and refreshing them gently 

 v,-ith water. They take root in a month or five 

 weeks ; when they should be hardened gradu- 

 ally to the open air, where they may remain till 

 autumn, wlien they must be removed into shel- 

 ter, as in the other kinds. 



The sixth kind is capable of being increased 

 both by seeds and cuttings, but is found to be 

 more tender than many other sorts, and more 

 liable to be injured by damps. The eightli 

 species is readily increased by cuttings ; but 

 the twelfth is more difficultly raised in this wav. 

 The filteenth is easily raised by cuttings, and 



