BELONGING TO THE GENUS 1XORA. 
181 
been stated above. Such plants purchasers should avoid, as they should, also, 
plants propagated from cuttings which had only one joint ; that is, when cuttings 
are scarce, some people, for the sake of getting more stock, instead of striking the 
cuttings by the usual plan at a joint, strike them in the internode between the 
joints, by which means a branch with six joints may be converted into five cuttings 
instead of three, as would be the case when two joints are retained to each. 
Supposing then that you have " caught your plants " and that they are of the 
right kind, the next thing will be to prepare a dung-bed, or pit, precisely in the 
same manner as you would for growing melons or cucumbers ; of course omitting 
the soil, and placing a thin layer of cinder ashes over the dung instead. Then 
procure some good strong turfy-peat, such as is found on Wimbledon Common, and 
having divested it of the very sandy portion at the bottom, break it into pieces of 
from half an inch to an inch in diameter. To this acid plenty of good gritty sand, 
with some charcoal and potsherds, broken small, and mix all well and intimately 
together. Then take the plants, and supposing that it is the 1st of February, and 
that they are well established in 48-sized pots, remove them into 24's, using the 
above compost, and making the soil tolerably firm around the old ball. After 
this they must be placed in the frame, with the pots partly plunged, — of course, 
guarding against burning, or indeed over-heating the roots. Keep the tem- 
perature at about 60°, with a little air, but allow it to rise to 70° in the day 
time, or to 80° or even 90° on bright sunny days; shutting the pit up early in 
the afternoon, but always giving a little air throughout the night. In such a 
situation the plants will soon begin to make root, and as soon as they appear to be 
established stop each shoot, by pinching or cutting out the leader, and either peg or 
tie them down, horizontally, over the surface of the pot. This treatment will 
induce them to push several shoots from each branch, as well as from the base of 
the principal stem, and by repeating it several times throughout the season will 
make neat compact plants. By the end of April the plants will require to be 
removed into small 12-sized pots, using the same compost, and by the middle of 
July they may be put into 8 or small 6-sized pots, which will be the last pot 
for the season. After the last shift the plants should not be stopped any more, but 
rather be allowed to ramble until they go gradually to rest in October, the object 
being to produce roots ready for action in the following season. Manure water, in a 
weak and clear state, must be applied to them, about once in ten days, throughout 
the growing season, but more especially where the pots are tolerably full of roots. 
From October until the following spring they may be kept in a cool part of the 
stove, guarding against insects, and keeping the plants tolerably dry. 
If first-class specimens are desiderated it will not be advisable to allow the 
plants to bloom until the third season, and hence, in the second season, they may be 
started early again, so as to give them the advantage of a long season of growth. 
Prepare a dung-pit, and start them, in the same manner, about February, and as 
soon as they show signs of growth stop each branch boldly in, and tie them out as 
