GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY PLANTS 69 



Removing Buds. Plants so grown will generally start growth 

 buds from the base of the flower bud, or by the side of it, and as 

 this might result in the pushing off or dropping of the flower, these 

 growth buds should be removed. Where this is done, however, 

 there can be no growth in that direction the same year. 



Watering. The plants require to be well watered and kept 

 free of insect pests, which is a simple enough matter. The rule in 

 watering should be to keep the soil just moist, without being wet. 

 The weight of the pot will tell an experienced grower whether the 

 plant requires watering, or if he is undecided, a sharp tap with a 

 stick or with the knuckles will satisfy him. A dry ball causes the 

 pot to ring clear, while a plant not in need of water will give a dull 

 sound. 



After Flowering, or on removal from the dwelling house, pick 

 ofl all the flower buds and seed pods, if such are forming, and as 

 plants from imported stock will not require to be repotted at once, 

 they can be taken out of doors, provided they have been hardened 

 off, and arranged alongside a wall or hedge in a moderately shel- 

 tered, shaded position. Some growers plunge the pots to their rims 

 in the soil, or in sifted ashes throughout the Summer. The plants 

 must be kept well supplied with water and sprayed or syringed 

 as frequently as possible, as otherwise they are apt to become 

 subject to thrips and other insect pests. Growth will continue, 

 and the new flower buds will develop; consequently at this period 

 watering with liquid manure may be required. In the Autumn, 

 after the growth has finished and has ripened, lift the plants from 

 their Summer quarters and transfer them to the protection of a 

 greenhouse, or smaller structure, where frost can be kept 

 out. 



The Winter and Spring treatment would be as already described, 

 only that this time regular feeding with liquid manure would have 

 to be given, and in the Spring, after flowering, the plants would 

 have to be repotted, not necessarily in larger pots, but in pots at 

 least the same size, the old soil being shaken out, and some of the 

 roots trimmed off, so that new compost could be employed. This 

 should consist of leafmold and fibrous peat in equal parts, to one 

 part of good turfy loam. Perfect drainage must be accorded. 



The same procedure applies to the Ghent Azaleas — A. mollis 

 and A. sinensis, which are hybrids between some of our American 

 Azaleas and the Caucasian yellow-flowered A. flavum. A few of 

 them are quite hardy, but most of the large flowered varieties are 

 not. 



