304 Culture of Balsams. 



Art. XVI. A Mode of grotving Balsams to great Perfection. 

 By Mr. James Reed. 



Sir, 



I HEREWITH send you, for the information of the readers 

 of the Gardener's Magazine, my method of growing balsams 

 to that state of perfection which we seldom see exhibited in 

 our botanic green-houses. 



In the first place, the selection of seed is of the greatest 

 importance. From the seed, after being gathered from the 

 finest and most double flowers, choose out the smallest or 

 middle-sized that are round and plump, rejecting all the large 

 ones, which I believe are generally sown in preference to the 

 smaller, and which invariably produce the greatest quantity 

 of single and semi-double flowers. About the 20th of 

 February make up a hotbed of well prepared hot dung 

 about S ft. high, for a small single-light frame. After the 

 rankness of the dung has passed ofl', fill up the frame with 

 good rich mould to within 6 inches of the glass ; and on it, 

 about the 1 st of March, sow the seeds thinly, and cover them 

 about a quarter of an inch or so. When the plants are up, 

 they should not stand nearer to each other than 3 or 4 in. ; 

 one principal object being to give them a habit of stockiness. 

 Give them abundance of air when the weather will permit, 

 and apply a lining, if necessary ; so as to keep up a good 

 growing heat in the bed, and not to draw the plants. Cover 

 at night with double mats, taking care not to confine any 

 rank steam in the bed or frame. I have always left a small 

 quantity of air at night, unless the heat has been upon the 

 decline. At the time the seed is sown, make up another 

 good bed with well worked dung for a three-light frame, or 

 according to the quantity of plants to be grown, which will 

 be in readiness to receive them by the time they require their 

 first potting. This bed must be frequently stirred up, so as 

 to let all rank steam pass off"; after which place the frame on, 

 and lay 3 or 4 inches of sifted coal ashes, sand, or any other 

 sweet substance, for the plants to stand on. In taking up the 

 plants, be careful to retain as much mould with the roots as 

 possible, and place them in 60-sized pots, which are quite 

 large enough for the first potting, taking care to shade and 

 water them when requisite. Nothing more than lining the 

 bed to keep up a brisk growing heat is wanted, covering at 

 nights as before until the second potting, when it will be 

 necessary to have a fresh bed made up a week before hand. 

 Then pot the plants into larger pots according to their wants, 

 shading and watering as before ; and in fine weather supply 



