229 
ADDITIONAL HINTS ON IPOMOPSIS ELEGANS 
AND PICTA. 
In the first volume of this work, pages 27, 245, has been given a lengthened 
detail of the habits, cultivation, &c,, of these beautiful plants, the successful cultiva- 
tion of which has for a lengthened time involved a difficulty which amateurs and 
gardeners, on all hands, have assiduously laboured to remove without success, and 
to this day many find, after much pains and anxiety have been spent, that all is 
frustrated by the almost instant death of their plants : to discover the cause of this 
many fruitless hours have been spent, and are spending, to little or no satisfaction. 
We do not flatter ourselves to have discovered any permanently superior method of 
treating them; still, as we have latterly reared better plants, with a larger display of 
bloom than was usual, we think our new method of treating them, differing as it 
does in some measure from that in general practice, cannot but prove interesting if 
not serviceable to our readers : it is as follows. About the latter end of July we 
prepare a quantity of soil, comprising peat and loam, both sandy, and in equal 
proportions, after which the desired number of pots, large 60's, are crocked well and 
filled with the soil, upon this the seed is very thinly scattered ; after covering it in, 
the pots are moved to a cold frame, where the seed will soon vegetate, and show above 
the soil : during this time the least possible water is given. When the plants are got 
well through the soil and begin to show signs of leaves, they are thinned out to 
three or four in each pot, leaving them as far asunder as the size of the pot will admit. 
When thinned, they remain a week or so in the frame, after which a rather light 
and rather airy part of the greenhouse is given them, where they remain all winter. 
During winter, over-watering and drips from the roof of the house must be 
carefully avoided. In the spring they receive a shift into 48-sized pots well drained, 
using the same kind of soil as before ; in doing this, the greatest possible care 
must be taken not to fracture the roots, for a great part of their success seems to 
depend upon careful and judicious shifting. In this sized pot they generally flower, 
but if they grow very fast an additional shift is generally advantageous. Out of 
the four plants left after thinning, it is rare that more than two remain in each pot, 
one of which may be destroyed if the other appears healthy and well established ; 
if not, it is better to let them both remain. In the course of their growth water 
cannot be too cautiously given ; and just before the plants break into flower being 
the most dangerous time, it is indispensable to water with still greater caution, and 
to see that the plants have a free circulation of air all round them. Thus nour- 
ished through the winter in a situation near the glass, they flower splendidly in 
July and August, and continue beautiful for a long time. It is somewhat remark- 
able, that they always begin flowering at the top. We find the species Elegans 
much more difficult to keep than Picta ; still, when we can get them to survive, they 
in general make large plants, and flower most abundantly. This species invariably 
succeeds best when treated with Picta. 
