56 Notes atid Gleanings. 



in a moist heat, it will quickly push forth young shoots, which strike freely under 

 glass, the pots being plunged into any kind of bottom-heat. As they commence 

 to grow, after being potted, they will soon assume a loose growth if not checked 

 by frequer.i dropping of the shoots. They should not be allowed to make more 

 than three or four joints before you pinch off their tops ; and if you are desirous 

 of having large plants, then shift them into pots a size larger as fast as their pots 

 become filled with roots, and train them accordingly. They require to be potted 

 rather firmly in a rich, loamy soil, and afforded plenty of light and air, as weather 

 may permit. As the shoots are very brittle, they must be staked, or otherwise 

 fastened, to prevent them snapping as they grow. My esteemed friend Mr. J. 

 Burly of the Albert Nursery, Pembridge Place, Bayswater, who cultivates large 

 quantities of exotic specimens, as well as other kinds of plants, for furnishing 

 the conservatories of the nobility and gentry on festival occasions, informs me 

 that lie finds the double petunia as a flowering-plant very useful during the sum- 

 mer and autumn months ; and that, by shortening those shoots that have pro- 

 duced flower, he is thus enabled to maintain a succession of blooms throughout 

 their flowering-season. As their individual flowers are very large, they are ex- 

 cellent to cut from for decorating epcrgncs and other table ornaments ; and they 

 retain their freshness much longer than many other flowers that are employed 

 for that purpose : and as their colors are various, including pure white, ma- 

 genta, crimson, and purple, with their many shades and blotches, this makes 

 their flowers the more desirable for the above purpose. 



We must now say something respecting the means to be used so that you 

 may preserve your stock of old plants throughout the winter months, either for 

 growing them into large specimens in the following year, or for supplying cuttings 

 for a renewed stock. My method is to place them all together in a warm but dry 

 part of the greenhouse ; not cutting back any of their wood, except sucli shoots 

 as may appear unsightly, only giving them sufficient water to keep them in 

 health. In the spring, the shoots are pruned down to three or more eyes in 

 length. Many of the sorts will have previously begun to push forth a number 

 of shoots from the lower portion of their stem ; and to the growth of these every 

 encouragement should be given. The plants may then be repotted by reducing 

 the earth around their roots, and replacing them into pots as small as will con- 

 veniently admit the roots, and afterwards to be reshifted into larger pots as before 

 advised. The following list contains a few of the best, both as regards size of 

 flower and color : — 



NAME. COLOK. 



Snowball Pure white and green bloom. 



Inimitable Here pleuo . White and purple blotched. 



Madame Rendattiers Crimson white blotched. 



Cinderella Silvery bluish shaded with blue. 



William Bull Pink spotted with white. 



Albert Victor Double crimson, neat habit. 



yohn F. . McEboy^ in Country Life. 



