62 PRESENT-DAY GARDENING 



according to the consistency of the loam ; the stronger 

 the latter, the more sand is needed. Not more than six 

 plants should be placed in each pot, and when they are 

 staked care must be taken to run the supports outwards 

 at the top so as to ensure the utmost amount of light 

 and air reaching every part of the stems. During the early 

 stages it is necessary to water with great judgment, as it 

 is extremely easy to make a compost sour when roots are 

 not working freely in it ; but when the plants are in full 

 progress, both water and liquid manure, the latter, as usual, 

 weak and in good variety, will be essential. From the 

 commencement the plants must be given the lightest posi- 

 tion in the house. The temperature should never be ex- 

 cessive a maximum of 50 degrees is quite warm enough, 

 unless there is a special reason for endeavouring to en- 

 courage the buds to expand rather more quickly ; and even 

 then it is well within the bounds of possibility that the 

 plants will draw up to a height of ten or more feet, and 

 there will not be hundreds of splendid flowers such as an 

 equal number of plants would yield out-of-doors. 



The Telemly and American winter-flowering varieties 

 answer well in suitable structures, but they are not gener- 

 ally adapted for amateurs' houses, for the reason] already 

 given, that there is not sufficient light and air. In the 

 ordinary way the seeds should be sown early in the spring, 

 precisely at the same time as if the plants were for outdoor 



