THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



[Mar. 



vigorous plants. When the seeds vegetate, water should be 

 daily applied, as circumstances may require; and when of 

 sufficient size, they should be potted off into small pots of 

 light rich mould ; the sooner they are potted off after coming 

 through the ground, the better, as they will experience a less 

 check than if left till of greater age or size. The leading 

 feature in their whole management is to keep them gi'owing 

 rapidly ; and as soon as their roots have nearly filled the pots 

 into which they are first planted, they should be removed into 

 those of greater size, and so on until they have attained their 

 full size. If kept steadily growing, and abundantly supplied 

 with water, they will not often show a disposition to flower 

 until of a large size, which is particularly to be desired. But 

 if stinted in pot room, or planted in too poor or light soil, or 

 at any time checked for want of sufficient heat or water, they 

 will come into flower prematurely, and consequently be small, 

 and of much less value. Most of them, particularly balsams, 

 thrive in good rotten dung, or, at most, with a small portion 

 of rich loamy earth mixed with it. Some cultivators stimu- 

 late them by the application of liquid manure, obtained by 

 steeping the dung of sheep or pigeons in a quantity of water, 

 until it becomes highly impregnated with it. This application 

 is of much importance to them, and is easily applied ; how- 

 ever, care must be taken not to allow any of the liquid to come 

 in contact with the stem or leaves of the plants. 



Throughout their whole course of culture, the nearer that 

 they are kept to the glass the better, as by that means they 

 will become stocky and not drawn up, which they are very 

 liable to do if not attended to, and in that case would never 

 become fine plants. 



