ON KEEPING TENDER PLANTS IN A DORMANT STATE. 
2i 
border again^ the next season ; probably about the end of May, or early in June^ 
according to the weather : then take them out, prune away any decayed branches 
or roots, and they will flower freely. 
Pelargonium seedlings may also be preserved in like manner. Mr. Street sowed 
some seeds of five or six varieties of the scarlet in March 1828, which were gathered 
in 1822. They were sown in a small wooden box, many grew, and they were 
allowed to stand abroad until November, when he put the box of seedlings into a 
north shed. They survived the whole winter without any water. They were put 
in the open air the spring following, and although they received little attention 
some of them flowered during the summer without transplanting. 
Begonia Evansiaria. — These, in pots, may be kept in a north shed in a dormant 
state without water. About the end of March or the beginning of April, they are 
put under a glass case, in saucers, and watered. They soon begin to grow. Then 
clear away the surface, or give them a larger pot, or divide them in two or more 
parts, if the previous pot is considered large enough ; however, give them a good 
top-dressing of rich soil. 
With such treatment they grow to near three feet high, and flower freely. Some 
years they produce seeds — true seeds— not merely the bulbs or buds on the stalks. 
These plants may be preserved in torpidity till the longest day ; then being put in 
motion, they flower in the autumn of the same year, but not so strong as the others, 
Canna gigantea. — This plant requires much room. In. autumn 1828, Mr. 
Street put a young strong plant, growing in a large pot, into a dryish, dark cellar, 
where it remained in a dormant state, without any water, till the end of April, 
1829, when he turned it out of its pot into the open border. It grew very lux- 
uriantly, and flowered freely for a long time. It sent up several flowering stalks, 
two of which measured six feet eight inches high. In catalogues it is generally 
marked as a stove plant, and five feet high. 
Canna indica, and C. coccinea, C. patens, have succeeded with the same treatment. 
Crimnn longifolmm is a bulb which grows to rather a large size, and then requires 
a large pot. One that flowered strong in 1828, was in the autumn placed in a 
north shed, and kept in a dormant state without any water until the end of March, 
when it was taken out of its previous earth, and its ofi'sets were removed. It was 
then potted in fresh earth, and put under a low glass-case ; it flowered well the 
following summer again. When done flowering it was put under a south wall, 
where it remained till November 25th quite well : about that time it was put again 
into the shed to rest all winter. 
Commelina tuberosa. — This plant in pots has been repeatedly kept in a north 
shed all the winter, in a dormant state without water, and then brought into a 
glazed house at difl'erent periods, as in February, March, or April, according to the 
time they are wanted to flower. Indeed this species accommodates itself to much 
diversity of treatment. 
The same tubers have survived for five or six winters at Biel in the open borders, 
growing to five feet high, ripening seeds, and sowing themselves, both on the gravel 
walk and in the border. These self-sown plants flower, and ripen seeds in the same 
