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XLIIL ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE COCKSCOMB. 

 [Read before the HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, Dec. 19, 1820.] 



THE flower of the cockscomb, which I sent to the meeting of the Society 

 on the 17th of October, may be considered a fair sample of all that I grew 

 this year ; two of six having been larger, and two somewhat smaller *. 



In cultivating these plants, I have treated them precisely as I do my 

 pine-apple plants, having in some respects a similar object in view ; for in 

 both a single fruit-stalk of great strength is requisite, the protrusion of 

 which should be retarded as long as possible, consistently with the rapid 

 growth of the plant. The compost I employed was the most nutritive 

 and stimulating that I could apply, consisting of one part of unfermented 

 horse-dung fresh from the stable and without litter, one part of burnt 

 turf, one part of decayed leaves, and two parts of green turf, the latter 

 being in lumps of about an inch in diameter, to keep the mass so hollow 

 that the water might have free liberty to escape, and the air to enter. 

 Manure was also given in a liquid state by steeping pigeon-dung in the 

 water, which was given very freely. The plants were put, whilst very 

 small, into pots of four inches diameter, and three inches deep ; as soon 

 as their roots had reached the sides of the pots, and before they had 

 become in any degree matted, they were transplanted into pots of a foot 

 in diameter, and about nine inches deep. Particular attention was 

 paid to the state of the roots, for I have reason to think that the com- 

 pression of them in the pot has, under all circumstances, a tendency to 

 accelerate the flowering of plants. 



Under this mode of treatment, the plants became large and strong 

 before they showed a disposition to blossom ; they usually divide into 

 many branches (as the pine-apple plant will also do), which will 

 greatly injure them, if due attention be not paid to remove the side 

 branches when very young. My plants were at all times so placed that 

 their leaves reached within a few inches of the glass, and they were sub- 

 jected to the same heat (from 70 e to 100), during the summer, as my 

 pine-apple plants. 



The seeds of the plants which I raised in the present season were not 

 sown till too late in the spring ; and if I were to repeat the experiment, 

 I entertain no doubt of producing much larger flowers than the one I sent 

 you ; for the variety, I believe, is of superior excellence. It affords seeds 

 very sparingly, as you would perceive by the specimen sent. 



* The flower sent by Mr. Knight measured eighteen inches in width and seven inches in 

 height from the top of the stalk ; it was thick and full, and of a most intense colour. A very 

 accurate drawing of it has been executed by Mrs. Pope, and placed in the library of the Society. 

 (Note by Mr. Sabine.) 



