CINERARIAS AND CALCEOLARIAS. 129 



We have now the chief compoueut of all potting soils, with the 

 few exceptions before mentioned, and made of the very best 

 material. All that is necessary to be added at the potting 

 operation is leaf-mould and sharp, clean sand, in such proportions 

 as the nature of the plants to be potted dictates. 



The loam pile should be chopped with a pickaxe or spade, 

 preparatory to usiug it, the fineness of the chopping depending on 

 the nature of the plants to be potted, but never too finely chopped 

 or screened. Add the other ingredients, if any, mix thoroughly, 

 and let it lie over for a month before usiug. During this rest the 

 soil will go through a process of fermentation, thereby sweetening 

 it. All who can practise this method should do so, as it is 

 undoubtedly the best, 



I pot my cinerarias finally in soil composed chiefly of the first 

 composition, adding to a barrowful of loam, a six-inch potful of 

 pulverized sheep manure, a ten-inch potful of leaf-mould and two 

 ordinary shovelfuls of sand. 



Assuming now that we are in the month of October, and the 

 plants in their floAvering pots, do not plunge them more than one- 

 third their depth in the plunging material. As the nights are 

 increasing in length, and the sun's power is less strong, evapora- 

 tion is consequently less rapid, and anything that causes excess of 

 moisture around the plants will tend to make them spindling. 

 Admit considerable of the morning and afternoon sun now to build 

 up a stocky and sturdy constitution. 



Habit. — The best strains are naturally stocky and, as a rule, 

 will foi'm shapely plants without much training on the part of the 

 cultivator. But amongst the best strains there is a large percent- 

 age that show unruliness by throwing the leading flower-head up to 

 a considerable height above the foliage, thereby impairing the 

 beauty of the plant. This bad habit ought to be corrected as 

 soon as a plant shows a tendency in that du-ection, by nipping oiit 

 the central flower-spike, thus enabling the lateral flower-spikes to 

 assume their proper rank, as they will almost invariably do, rising 

 to a uniform height above the foliage and forming a broad, dense 

 head. 



The plants ought to be taken into the greenhouse any time in 

 November, for early flowering, which will commence in January, 

 or earlier if desired. 



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