182 STOVE PLANTS. 



this plant should be at least thirty feet in diameter, and circular ; 

 it should be from three to four feet in depth, and heated with 

 four rows of four-inch hot-water pipes. Some have pipes under 

 the plant itself, but this is open to objection, as we have 

 known the roots (and consequently the plant) much injured 

 by coming in contact with them. The soil should be good 

 mellow loam and well-decomposed manure, in about equal 

 parts, and mixed with a good portion of river sand and a 

 little peat. The quantity required will be about two loads ; 

 it should be well mixed, and placed in the tank before the 

 water is admitted, after which the water should be run in, 

 and be allowed to stand for a week or two, so that the soil 

 may become well warmed before an attempt is made to put 

 the plant into it. The seeds should be sown early in January, 

 in a small tank where a good command of heat is to be 

 had, and an uniform temperature of about 85° can be main- 

 tained. We have always found that the seeds vegetate 

 very much quicker if a little soil is put at the bottom of 

 the tank, and the seeds are just dropped on to it, than 

 when sown in pots. As it is desirable to get them up 

 quickly, this plan should be adopted by those intending to 

 grow the plant. When the young plant has made four or 

 five leaves it must be lifted, and potted into the soil recom- 

 mended, but as very little can be put into the small pots 

 that are first used, some pieces of broken pots or stones 

 should be laid on the surface, to keep it firm and enable the 

 young and small roots to take hold of the soil ; this opera- 

 tion must be repeated whenever the pots are getting filled 

 with roots, never forgetting to have the soil well warmed 

 before potting, for the least chill endangers the well-being 

 of the plants for the entire season. About the end of 

 April, if the season is fine, or beginning of May, if it be 

 dull, the plant selected for flowering, and which will now 



