74 THE BOOK OF THE GREENHOUSE 



well, two important points in culture are always to give 

 them the fullest possible amount of light, and to expose 

 them fully in the open air during autumn as long as 

 they are protected from actual frost, for this exposure 

 gives the necessary check that " sets" the flower heads, 

 and without it the plants, though remaining perfectly 

 healthy, make only flowerless shoots. Big old plants 

 that only flowered well in alternate years used to be 

 much grown, but present day taste runs to smaller 

 plants, and these must be raised from cuttings yearly. For 

 this purpose, choose early in summer the tops of strong 

 growths that do not promise to give flowers. Cut them 

 off about four inches long, and, after stripping them of 

 a few of the lower leaves, put them in a sunny place to 

 dry for a day or two, then inserting them three or four 

 round the edge of a five-inch pot which has been well 

 drained and filled with a compost of one-half loam 

 and one-sixth each of leaf mould, broken brick and 

 sand. Give little or no water until they show signs 

 of growth, and at no time must they be liberally supplied 

 with water. If intended to flower the next summer, • 

 the points of the shoots should be allowed to grow 

 away without being stopped. On the other hand, 

 those intended to be grown into large plants should 

 be stopped in the spring, and, when they have begun 

 to branch out, potted on into larger pots. After 

 flowering, in summer they may occupy a cold frame, 

 gradually giving them full exposure to light and air but 

 protecting from heavy rains, and in winter a shelf close 

 to the glass in a cool greenhouse will be a suitable 

 position. Never give more artificial heat than is necessary 

 to keep out frost, for heat starts the plants into flowerless 

 growth. 



II 



Francoas. — Francoa ramosa has earned for itself the 

 appropriate popular name of Bridal Wreath. Its chief 



