332 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



the smallest size — using a rather coarse soil, but 

 taking care not to cover the hearts of the plants, 

 ■which is an injurious practice. These plants need 

 to be placed in a close frame ; they should he shaded, 

 and sprinkled overhead with soft water morning and 

 ■evening until well established. 



From the first the cultivator should' aim to have 

 his plants as robust as possible ; and so when they 

 Tiave been kept close for a couple of weeks, the heat 

 should be diminished and more air given. A tem- 

 perature too high, or too much shading, will produce 

 a weakly growth, which is fatal to the well-being of 

 the plants. Nor must the plants be too much 

 ■crowded, and so it is much better to grow a few 

 ■specimens well than to have a larger number over- 

 crowded, and in an unsatisfactory condition in con- 

 sequence. A cold frame suits the plants, 'but it 

 should be in a full exposure, but shading wiU be 

 necessary from the sun : plenty of air must be given 

 day and night when the weather is suitable, and the 

 plants be frequently sprinkled over-head in warm 

 drying weather. Immediately the pots are filled 

 -with roots another shift should be given. It is im- 

 portant that this operation be not delayed a day too 

 long, as starvation at the roots soon shows itself by 

 the leaves becoming of a pale green colour. It is a 

 custom with some growers to shift from thumb-pots 

 into the pots in which the plants are to flower, and 

 this may be done with safety generally, though we 

 have seen plants suffering from overpotting, but this 

 hecause the soil appeared unsuitable, and the roots 

 did not move freely in it. We have found that the 

 hest way to ensure good specimens is to shift from 

 thumb-pots into four-and-a-half-inch pots, and then 

 into eight or even ten-inch pots for the largest speci- 

 mens. The last shift should be made by the end of 

 October. 



Some growers place their plants in the open air 

 during August and September, giving them a posi- 

 tion on a north border — under the shelter of a wall, 

 ■or any building, is the most suitable spot; but a, 

 ledge should be avoided. There is, however, 

 ■danger of the leaves being spoiled by hail or heavy 

 rains. The grower should be watchful for any 

 suckers that are thrown up from the roots. And 

 when the plants are coming into flower, and there 

 appears to be a superfluity of buds, a few of them 

 may be removed -with great advantage. The 

 quality of the flowers and the brilliancy of 

 their colours, wiU be greatly heightened by giving 

 the plants a little manure-water twice or thrice a 

 week. 



It is well known that insect enemies prey upon the 

 Cineraria. Mildew is more common at some seasons 

 than others ; and as a rule, it appears during July 

 and August, especially after insufficient ventilation. 



in damp, dull weather, or where the plants have 

 been left too long in one place, or too near each other. 

 Weakness invites attacks of mUdew also. On the first 

 appearance of an affected leaf, the under-side and the 

 soil should be dusted with sulphur, and no water 

 should be given overhead until the malady has dis- 

 appeared. Aphis is very apt to attack the Cineraria, 

 and fumigation in the tobacco-smoke soon kills 

 them. But the fumes of the tobacco should be ap- 

 plied only when the leaves of the plants are dry, 

 and when the weather is still. 



A few of the fine named varieties of Cinerarias 

 can still be had, such as 



Admiration. 

 Bridesmaid. 

 €rimsoxL Beautj. 

 Eclipse. 

 Great Eastern. 

 Lady T. Grosvenor. 

 Lord Amberley. 

 Lord Falmerston. 

 Meteor. 



Hetis. 



Miranda. 



Miss Burdett Coutts. 



HiBS Eyles. 



Ptirple King. 



Queen Victoria. 



Begina. 



Snowflake. 



Uncle Toby. 



A few of these would form an excellent collection to 

 take seed from. 



Cockscombs. — The Cockscomb of the florist is 

 Celosia eristata, and it is a native of Asia, and, as may 

 be readily surmised, it derives its name from the 

 peculiar inflorescence it produces — really an oddity in 

 its way, but with a very imposing appearance. We 

 have seen plants that were quite small in comparison 

 vrith the inflorescence, the latter being of prodigious 

 size, fifteen inches or more in length, and eight or 

 nine inches in width. One looks on such an example 

 in sheer surprise, and wonders how so small a plant 

 could produce this huge mass of fleshy colour. Two 

 things conduce to this end^ — first, a fine strain 

 of seed ; and secondly, high-class cultivation. The 

 development of a fine head on a Cockscomb is a 

 matter of good culture. The strain may be ever so 

 good, but unless the plants are well gro-wn, good 

 heads cannot possibly result. Therefore, those who 

 make a point of growing Cockscombs should start 

 with a good strain, and they should not hesitate to 

 pay a good price for what they would have in the 

 shape of seed. 



There are two sections of the Cockscomb, the 

 tall and the dwarf, and the latter is the one 

 mostly grown. There are several colours — orange, 

 scarlet, crimson, and purple, the last two being 

 the varieties most frequently seen. The best 

 time to sow is in February, March, or AprU, accord- 

 ing to the earliness or lateness of the season when 

 the cultivator wishes to have his plants in flower. It 

 is best to sow thinly in shallow pans of light rich soil, 

 and place them in a newly-made sweet hot-bed, or on 

 any gentle bottom heat, this being essential to the 



