Culture of Herbaceous Calceolarias. 363 



Continue to keep their foliage damp, and never allow them to flag for 

 want of water at the root, or with the sun, throughout any stage of their 

 growth ; and in a short time they will be prepared for a shift into pots three 

 inches in diameter. Cut out their balls carefully into squares, and place 

 them individually into the pots, using soil the same as recommended for 

 the pans, only more rough. The plants will not appear to suffer from the 

 shift, but will continue growing ; which growth ought not to have a check 

 up to the time the flowers make their appearance. 



If green fly pay them a visit, take advantage of them, when the foliage 

 is dry, by giving a smart smoking with tobacco-paper, and administer a 

 good lashing with the syringe after the smoke has passed away. 



In a short time, if all prospers, the roots will be through the soil, when 

 a larger shift will be requisite, which, on no consideration, ought to be neg- 

 lected or put off till to-morrow. Procrastination, or any other cause of 

 prevention, will be found ruinous, as nothing can be worse than allowing 

 them to get pot-bound ; in which case the consequence will surely be stunted 

 plants, that will send up flower-stalks weak and premature ; whereas a 

 regular succession of shiftings up to ten-inch pots will produce really good 

 plants. About the beginning of November, prepare a place in the green- 

 house as near as possible to the glass, without endangering them to frost. 

 Place them there for the winter, after carefully washing and clearing the 

 pots of weeds, being careful not to break the leaves in the operation ; and 

 continue to treat, as regards watering, syringing overhead, and potting, 

 when needful, as the winter passes. As soon as the plants are established 

 in their last shift, give a good soaking of liquid manure, at the rate of forty 

 gallons of rain-water to one pound guano once a week, up to the time the 

 flowers begin to expand ; when it may be discontinued. Turn the plants 

 every time you have occasion to water, that they may be well balanced with 

 the foliage ; and, as soon as the flower-stalks are of sufficient length, stake 



out, and finally stage to flower. 



A. Kerr, in '■'■Scottish Gardener ^ 



