64 THE VICTORIA. 



Little or no labor is attached to the culture from now. Occasionally 

 some water should be added to replace loss by evaporation, and for this it is 

 well to have a hose attachment at hand; such will also be useful for flushing 

 the pit and washing oiT any scum that may arise from fermentation or other 

 cause. Toward the end of Jime the plant will be getting somewhat crowded, 

 and will need more room. As it reaches this condition more air should 

 be given, and the plant exposed to the full sunshine, and air should be left on 

 during the night, so that the plant will not suffer when the frame and sash 

 are finally taken off. If this be not carefully attended to, the plant is likely to 

 suffer; the leaves will scald or scorch with the full sunshine, which will both 

 check the growth and disfigure the plant. Early in July the first flower should 

 be produced and if the weather permit, other conditions being satisfactory, 

 the plant will bloom continuously for the season, throwing up a flower 

 every third or fourth day, and occasionally in very warm weather every 

 second day. 



If seed be desired, leave one or two capsules to ripen, and cut off all other 

 dead flowers as soon as withered ; the seed takes from eight to ten weeks to 

 ripen, sometimes longer, much depending on the existing temperature and 

 conditions of the weather. 



