202 
ON THE CULTURE OP RHODANTHE MANGLESII. 
treatment, and other casualties ; and some plants will require shifting a considerable 
time before others, although the seeds were sown at the same period. The surest 
criterion is the emission of roots through the drainage-hole at the bottom of the pot, 
upon observing which, they should immediately be shifted into larger pots. This 
will most probably occur during the month of November, at which time it will be 
particularly necessary to avoid placing them in confined or damp situations, or 
supplying them vv^ith an immoderate quantity of water. 
Fire-heat should never be employed except in very severe weather, and then 
only to such a degree as to exclude frost. As a general rule, the winter tempera- 
ture should never exceed 65°, nor be allowed to fall below 40°, as the slightest 
degree of frost is fatal to this plant. In the month of January they will again 
require shifting into pots of a still larger size, and at this period, decayed manure 
should be substituted for the leaf-mould, and a small portion of white sand added 
to the compost. In March they may receive another and final removal, which 
must be regulated according to their size, and after this, they will speedily flower. 
Those who are acquainted with this plant need not be informed what an acqui- 
sition a number of flowering specimens are to the greenhouse at this season, and few 
we think will be willing to forego the pleasure which such a display would aflbrd 
on account of the slight trouble it requires. 
Seeds sown in September, and managed according to the above directions, will 
generally produce finer specimens, though they will be somewhat later in flowering 
than those of the August sowing ; and if another portion be sown in October, they 
will flower beautifully in the succeeding May. Finally, if a sov^ing is efl'ected in 
March, the plants obtained from it will be fit for planting out in the flower-garden 
in May, where they will have a most enchanting effect during the autumnal 
months. After the plants raised from any of the sowings have been potted, they 
should be removed to a much cooler house, and when they are sufficiently esta- 
blished, should be placed on a shelf, or other elevated position, near the glass. 
It should be observed, that, if during the time these plants are kept in the 
greenhouse, the remainder of the plants in the house require fumigating, those of 
this species should be removed during the operation, as they are always greatly 
injured, and most frequently destroyed by tobacco-smoke. 
There is yet another fact connected with the cultivation of this species that is 
worth recording, which is, that the plants do not die immediately after producing 
their flowers, provided they are not allowed to mature seed. As soon, therefore, 
as the first flowers begin to fade, they should be plucked off ; and when the whole 
of them have been removed, the plant should be repotted, which will have the 
effect of renovating it, and inducing it to flower again most abundantly. 
To procure good seed, it must not be obtained from those plants which are 
growing in the open ground, unless they can conveniently be protected by a hand- 
glass or frame, as it will not ripen thoroughly when exposed to rain ; so that it 
will be better to collect it from the plants which are retained in the greenhouse. 
