B R O M E L I A. 



cflminon (land in nfed of being frc^i potted ; Aich only as 

 are in aiiy degree matted being put v'nto other pots of tlie 

 next li/.e to thofe in w liicf' they arc g."Owing. The matted 

 part being fimply taken off, iS^y Hn-uld be replnced with 

 tiie bulb as entire as poffible. They &>. then to be plunged 

 in the bedii, as in the former cafe, quite itp. to tlic bri.ns of 

 the pots, and fiiould remain till the beginning of April ; at 

 which period the beds fliouid be again wruiig.ht over, as 

 dirccfted above, and tlie plants hive the mould who.'ly 'b:ikeH 

 from the roots, after which they lliould be replace.' in the 

 fame pots with frcdi mould, and repUinged in tlie beo.^- I'l 

 this cafe the roots being frcfh lliouid never be diltnrbed, the 

 parts that are decayed in the Humps or other places bci.'g 

 intrely removed. 



As the heat of the beds, witliout the aid of lire, will not 

 be fnllicicnt during thefe periods for the iieahhy growth ot 

 tliefe plants, it will be requifite to have recourfe to that of 

 the aitificial kinds. This fliould be applied about the be- 

 ginning of O^ober, or the fcMlowing month, according to 

 itie Hate of the feafon. In the application of this heat great 

 care (hould be had to keep it fo moderate as not to force the 

 plants forwaids too much, and render. them in danger of 

 fruiting unfeafonab'y, while it is fuffieient for their peifcft 

 growth. The former is fhcwn by their drawing up with 

 long leaves and white hearts; and the latter, by the want of 

 the proper healthy afpeft. To accomphdi tliij in the moil 

 cei tain ir.-inner, ^Ir. Nicol recommends working the ftoves fo 

 as to keep the thermometer as near as poffible to 6j^, at 

 feven or eight o'clock in the morning and nine at night, un- 

 til about the lirlt of March, and then toincreafe it gradually 

 to 70°, at wliich it (hould be maintained fo long as artificial 

 lieat may be required. When the weather is very fevere, it 

 is likewife nccclTary to cover and defend the glaffes in the 

 ir'ght time, as well as occafiowally in the day, with canvas 

 {x>r the purpofe, cloths fixed with rollers and pullies, or lai-ge 

 garden mats. At the above period the plants ufually begm 

 to grow in a vigorous and rapid manner, and require potting 

 again about the firlli or middle of May, at which time the 

 bed (hould be Hirred up to about half its depth, and, if ne- 

 ceffary, a very little new tan'worked in. The piants (liould 

 be put into pots about fix inches in diameter on the ii.fide 

 in the tops on a medium acccnding to their fizes, with the 

 balls en:irc ; and if any of them are matted, that part (lionld 

 be difplaced, plunging them to the brims at the didance of 

 about fifteen inches from centre to centre of the plants in 

 the largeft kind, and a foot in the fmaller kinds, giving a 

 flight watering at the time. Another pottmg becomes ne- 

 ccifary ab;>ut the begi-ining of Augud ; and where there are 

 three' compartments, tl;e plants fiiould now be removed into 

 the facctfu )n hoiife, the bark-beds being worked over to the 

 bottom. The plants mud. be put into pots of eight inches 

 diameter, plunging them to the brims at the diilance of fix- 

 teen inches on a medium, and fettling them with a gentle wa- 

 tering. At thefe periods a more free admiffion ol frclh air be- 

 comes neceffary, efpccially when tlie weather is mild and 

 favourable. Where other houfes or fucecffion-flovcs aie 

 employed in the culture of thefe plants, they may at this 

 time be removed into them, in order to be more conveniently 

 managed in their growth the lecond year. 



Culiure in ihe Suraffloii Stoves or Phs. In the fecond year's 

 growth it will be necelfary, towards the middle of November, 

 to work t!ie bark beds over to lall during the winter ; but the 

 plants need not be diifted, the decayed leaves about their 

 bottoms being only twilled oiT, and a little fre(h mould laid 

 on the furface of the pots, where it may be requifite, re- 

 plugging the pots to the brims as before. Some advife the 

 leaves of tlie plants to be lied up while they are potting or 



removing them, in order to keep them from beiuf; bruifcd ; 

 but the writer juH mentioned dilapproves of the pradlice, as 

 he finds they are generally much more bruifed in tying than 

 when left loofe. The method which he follows, is to liave 

 a pcrfiin (landing oppofite to him in the time of potting, 

 which is performed on a dage about a yard li'gh, whofe 

 bnfinefs is to hold up the leaves in a loofe, thougli regular 

 manner, between the arms, and prepare and hand the pots. 

 In thi.s manner he has often been able to fliift an hundred 

 one-year old plants in two hours. In conveying the plants 

 through the doors of the tlovcs, the pirfon (hould proceed 

 with the back foremoll, by which means the leaves are 

 faved from injury, as the pot goes fir(l, and the leaves arc 

 drc;v.'n b\ -kwards after it. 



Ai'>out l.he beginning of March the plants again require 

 .fhifting,- and the bark beds fliould then be trenched over as 

 bef<irc. Tiie plants at this time mud. be (haken out, and 

 replaced in the (at le pots, in new mould, cutting olF any of 

 the decayed rooti, or the ends of the (lumps, twilling 

 oiT a few of .'.he bottom leaves, plunging them as before 

 in the beds, an>"l giving them a dight watering. Towards 

 the fird; of June, the plants fliould again be fliifted. The 

 bark beds being wrought over to about half their depths, 

 and z little frelh tan aOded when ncccd'ary, the plants, witli 

 their balls entire, fliould then be placed in pots of about ten 

 inches diamieter, plunging them, at tiie didancc of eighteen 

 inches fiom centre to centre, iiuo the beds, and iettling them 

 with a little water. 



In regard to potting, it is rema-ked by the fame author, 

 that at all times a few of the bottom leaves (hould be tivillcd 

 off each plant, that fredi roots may be made more readily to 

 fnrnilli the furface, which tends to keep- them more Heady 

 in the pots. The fire heat in thefe cafes fliould be begun 

 about tlie fame period as before, according, to Mr. Nicol, 

 and kept to about 60 degrees of the thermometer till the 

 beginning of March, and then gradually incrtafed to 65° for 

 the rcmaiuder of the feafon. The plants diould be re- 

 frefhed occafionally with a little water, according as the 

 earth in the pots becomes dry, or as the (late of the weatlier 

 demands. They fliould likewife have a mort fiee admiffiim 

 of frcfli air, v henever the fealuii will admit of it witlicut 

 danger. 



Cuhure in ila friiiling-Jlo'vr or hot-hovfc. The plants 

 raiferl in the niirfriy pits, and Continued in. their growth 111. 

 the fiicefffion doves, havingattaiied a propcrfize and iliength, 

 fliould, towards the latter end eif Augnd, or the beginning 

 of the following month, be pljced in the pots in which they 

 are to fruit, in the fame maiiiKr as before, and depofited in 

 t!ie doves of the hot-honfe, whicli (hould have the bark 

 beds prepared for their reception, by trcncliing them over to 

 the bottoms, and adding j.l^out a tenth part of new tan in 

 a proper Hate of preparation for tlie pnrpofe, being well 

 blended, and m.ade fo as fv< fill up tlie p.ts well. The pots 

 in wdiicli the pl.uits are .'.ow put, (hould be about a foot in 

 diameter ; which dioiilc>'be plunged in the beds to the brims, 

 a gentle watering beii'g immediately given. In potting the 

 plants, Mr. NiCol iu thefe cafes advifes the u(e of a imall 

 Hick to trundle the mould down between the balls and the 

 fides of the p:it,. fo as to leave no cavities, a circureHar ce 

 which ihould be attended to, as. being of great utility. I'be 

 management in this (late differs but little from that of the 

 preceding ; the chief circumHance to be regarded, is that 

 of keeping up the heat in as regular a manner as pofiible, 

 with the addition of a due quantity of refrtfliing moiiture, 

 and free air. The beds fliould, about the middle of No- 

 vember, be dined up to half their depth, and a little tan 

 added ; but the plants muH not be (hiftcd at this period, 



only 



