294 THE PHILADELPHIA FLORIST. [No. 10 



|iag currents of air injures it more than most plants. With attention nJ 

 to its wants in these respects, and if allowed plenty of pot room, and ^p 

 kept free from insects, the plants will form nice specimens by the end 

 of the first season, and may each produce flowers, but this will greatly 

 depend upon their having been stopped at the proper season. The 

 weaker plants should not be stopped at all, and there will be nothing 

 gained, as respects the production of blossoms, by stopping even the 

 stronger plants more than once, and none should be stopped later than 

 the middle of July, or the first week in August. 



As soon as they have pretty well ripened the wood from which 

 flowers are expected, they should be kept rather cool, or they may be 

 removed to a shady, but airy situation in the greenhouse, or to any 

 place where they can be assisted to harden their wood by a cool, dry 

 atmosphere. Such of the plants as have never been stopped will pro- 

 bably show flower towards the middle or end of September, when they 

 may be removed to a damper atmosphere and kept rather moist, so as 

 to encourage them to develope their beauty and fragrance ; and if the 

 plants are removed from the greenhouse, or cool situation in which 

 they were placed to ripen their wood, to a warm<-r situation, at inter- 

 vals of about a fortnight, they will afford a succession of flower for at 

 least three months. While in blossom they will be found to require 

 a rather dry atmosphere ; and unless this is provided, their beauty will 

 be short lasted. I have found a sitting room window to suit them ex- 

 ceedingly well at this time, but situations where- 1 he temperature will 

 average from 40° to 45^', and where they can be protected from damp, 

 is all that they require. 



When they have done flowering, the plants should be rather spar- 

 ingly supplied with water for a fortnight, previous to their being cut 

 back, and they may be stowed away in any spare corner of the green- 

 house or cold pit, where they will be safe from their great enemy — 

 damp. After being treated rather hard for a fortnight, they should be 

 cut back sufficiently to secure a compact, bushy growth, and now is 

 the time when they can, with least trouble, he thoroughly cleared of 

 insects. They are especial favorites with the black thrips, as most 

 delicate plants are, and if these pests have a residence about the place 

 at all, it maybe looked for upon the Luculia, and they should now 

 be carefully removed at any expense of time and labor; for if they 

 are permitted to establish themselves they will do much injury during 

 the ensuing season. After the plants have been cut back and cleaned, 

 a portion may be encouraged to grow early in the season, so as to come 

 into flower soon in the autumn ; but it will be advisable to introduce 

 I them into heat very gradually, otherwise they will break their upper- 

 CL most buds only, and will consequently become naked below. If the 

 |9^ plants can be hept during their second season's growth in a moist G 



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