198 A GUIDE TO FLORICULTURE. 



must be kept in the shade. When rooted, pot them off and 

 treat them the same as old plants. 



When plants become- large, the best plan is to put them 

 in the ground sideways, so that the top can be bent down 

 with greater facility, and layer them the same as you 

 would the Carnation ; in six weeks, if well attended, they 

 will be ready to pot off Many people will plant them in 

 the open ground in the summer to save trouble, a plan that 

 ought to be deprecated, as the plant becomes too large to 

 manage, and causing much more trouble. The best plan 

 is to keep them in as small pots as possible ; this will make 

 them flower more freely 5 repot them every fall or spring. 

 As the plants progress in size, they should be shifted into 

 one a little larger. This plant should not be placed out of 

 doors too early in the spring, as one night's frost would do 

 incalculable injury. It will stand the frost better in the 

 fall than spring. 



When the Oleander is planted in the open ground, and 

 lifted in the fall, great care is necessary not to injure the 

 root fibres, or you will make the top of the plant flag, and 

 in all probability it will never rise again. The only reme- 

 dy then is to cut off the tops, but you thus disfigure the 

 plant. In the winter, this plant must be kept in the house, 

 out of reach of frost; it will require little or no water 

 when in a state of rest, which will be from the middle of 

 November to the latter part of February. If well man- 

 aged, it will flower from June until late in the fall. 



