HOL 



[ 480 ] 



HOT, 



the frame upon it, and a covering of 

 dry saw dust upon the bed within the 

 the frame to the depth of five inches. 

 Then prepare the cuttings, put them 

 round the edge of pots filled with moist 

 sandy loam, press the earth close to 

 the bottom of each cutting, and fill up 

 the holes with a little more soil. Then 

 plunge them nearly up to the rim in the 

 saw dust, but give no water because 

 they are very full of sap, and would 

 damp oif immediately. Shade closely, 

 and give no air excepting a little at the 

 back to let out the steam for an hour 

 in the morning. In six weeks they 

 will begin to show signs of growth, and 

 should tli en have a little water given 

 them without wetting the leaves. When 

 roots are formed, pot them off into 

 small pots, place them in a cold frame 

 kept close, and shaded for a week or 

 two. Then gradually inure them to 

 hear the full sun and give plenty of 

 air, and moderate but constant supplies 

 of water. They are then ready for 

 planting out. The best time to per- 

 form this is in early spring, but it may 

 be done also in August, so as to have 

 them rooted before the winter sets in. 



By Division. Large, strong plants, 

 with numerous shoots, may be taken 

 up as soon as they have done flowering, 

 and be divided with a strong knife. Care 

 must be taken that each division has a 

 good share of roots, and at least one 

 shoot to it. Plant these divisions in a 

 bed in a shady part of the garden, but 

 not under the drip of trees. They 

 may remain here till March, and then 

 are ready to plant out in the place 

 where they are to flower. 



By Seed. Save seed from the most 

 double and best coloured flowers. 

 Clean it from the husks, and keep it 

 in a dry drawer, or in a bag hung up 

 in a dry room. Sow early in March in 

 shallow wide pans, in a gentle heat. 

 When the seedlings are so large as to 

 be readily handled, transplant them 

 either into boxes three inches apart, 

 or prepare a bed of rich earth in a 

 frame without heat, and plant them 

 out in it at the same distance from 

 each other. As soon as the weather 

 will permit, make a sufficiently large 

 piece of ground very rich with well de- 



composed hotbed dung, in a dry, open 

 part of the garden. Take the plants 

 up carefully with a garden trowel, keep- 

 ing as much earth as possible, to each. 

 Carry them, a few at a time, in a basket 

 to the prepared ground, and plant them 

 out in rows two feet apart, and one foot 

 between each plant. There they may 

 remain till they flower. Then mark 

 such as are well shaped and bright 

 coloured; cut them down and plant 

 them in the place where they are to 

 flower next season, giving a name to 

 each. 



Write in a book kept for the purpose 

 a description of each, both of shape 

 and colour. Single and badly shaped 

 flowers throw away at once. 



Soil. They must have a dry, deep 

 soil, enriched with plenty of manure. If 

 the situation is damp, they will die off 

 in the winter, unless well drained, and 

 the bed elevated above the natural level. 



Summer Culture. When the plants 

 begin to grow in the spring, give them 

 a mulching about two inches thick, 

 with some light littery manure. This 

 will protect the roots from the drying 

 winds, and strengthen the flower shoots. 

 Place tall, strong stakes to them in 

 good time, and as they advance in 

 growth, tie the shoots separately to the 

 stakes regularly, but not too tightly, 

 and leave room for the stems to swell. 

 During dry weather, give, once a week, 

 a thorough good watering. If the flowers 

 are intended for exhibition in spikes, 

 cut off their extreme ends. This will 

 cause the flowers to form a fine pyramid 

 of bloom, and make them open more 

 equally and much larger. 



Winter Culture. Cut down the flower 

 stem as early as possible after the 

 bloom is over, and the seed is ripened. 

 Dig the ground between the plants, 

 leaving it moderately rough to mellow 

 with the weather, adding a dressing of 

 well-decomposed manure. Before the 

 severe frosts are likely to set in, give a 

 mulching of light half-decayed dung ; 

 closing it round the plants. This will 

 keep the roots warm through the frosty 

 weather, and will enrich the ground as 

 it decays. 



Insects. The yreen fly will, in dry 

 seasons, attack the leaves and young 



