2J6 



THE FLOWER GROWER'S GUIDE. 



The evergreen kinds, including andromedas, kalmias and ^rhododendrons, are grown 

 in a peaty medium and lifted with a mass of fibrous roots and soil attached. If they are 

 very dry at the roots on arrival, they ought to be at once soaked in a tub of water, as it 

 is almost impossible to properly moisten them after potting has taken place without 

 unduly saturating the new soil. After the water has had time to drain away from 

 the roots the potting should be done. Place the shrubs in pots large enough to admit 

 of a mixture of equal parts loam, peat, leaf soil, and sand being packed closely and 

 somewhat solidly about the roots. Allow room, or the full depth of the rim of pot, for 

 watering purposes, as it is a difficult matter to keep forced shrubs properly moist at 

 the roots if the pots are filled too full of soil. After potting arrange them on a bed of 

 ashes in a position sheltered from strong cold winds, and give a good watering. Protect 

 the pots with strawy litter for the prevention of cracking ; but the shrubs will be 

 benefited rather than otherwise by exposure to frost, as they invariably force more 

 readily after the complete rest thus produced. 



Those deciduous shrubs which have been planted out for not less than two years 

 ought to be taken up directly the leaves have fallen, and the evergreens mayjbe lifted 

 at the same time. If they have been transplanted each year, either in the autumn 

 or spring, they will be furnished with abundance of fibrous roots, and only a little 

 further reducing may safely be done when preparing them for pots. Large pots, owing 

 to the labour of moving and the difficulty of obscuring them when the conservatory is 

 reached, ought to be dispensed with as much as possible, but too many roots should 

 not be sacrificed, or a severe check may be given, and the shrubs will not flower so 

 well or the bloom last so long as is desirable. After potting treat similarly to the 

 importations. 



Moving the shrubs straight from the open ground to strong heat is the way to 

 bring about partial failure. If they flower under this haphazard treatment, the dura- 

 tion of the bloom is certain to be so short as not to repay for the trouble taken to 

 produce it. Now that we, as before suggested, have a good selection of late chrysan- 

 themums available, there is less reason for commencing forcing shrubs so early as of 

 old, and instead of placing some in heat in September, December ought to be early 

 enough to start forcing, following with others about every three weeks. All kinds of 

 deciduous and other rested shrubs burst into growth and flower the more freely if given 

 the benefit of genial bottom heat and a moist atmosphere. Hot-beds of leaves, or leaves 

 and manure, such as are formed in many vineries where early forcing is carried out, 



