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ON THE CULTIVATION OF SOME OF THE PLANTS 
in the preceding season. When the plants have made shoots about an inch long, 
re-pot them into 4-sized pots, still using the same soil, with the charcoal and potsherds 
in rather larger pieces. After this shift, the pots should be plunged about half their 
depth, guarding against over-heating, and also against the ingress of worms. 
Maintain a lively growing temperature, by renewing the linings of the pits when 
necessary, and keep a moist growing atmosphere. Allow the plants to grow wildly 
throughout the summer, and by giving plenty of air, both night and day, and 
abundant room, with liquid manure when necessary, encourage them to make strong, 
sturdy growth. The plants, if allowed, will produce some very fine flowers the 
second season, but as that would retard their growth to some extent, it is advisable 
not to allow them to bloom until the third year. 
By the middle of August the plants, if they have been properly managed, will 
be large and strong ; but as you must endeavour to get them as bushy as possible, it 
will be necessary to cut each shoot in again, and depress the side branches so as to 
induce them to break from the old wood. These will be the blooming shoots for 
the third season, and therefore to get them strong, so as to ensure their setting 
bloom buds, they must be exposed to as much light as possible, and at the same 
time receive every aid which practice can suggest to make the young growth strong 
and healthy. Maintain a brisk growing temperature, so as to have a thorough 
circulation of air at all times. As soon as you perceive the shoots begin to set their 
bloom, which may be known by the points of the shoots ceasing to elongate, and 
becoming full and large, begin gradually to lower the temperature so that through 
the winter they may be kept at a temperature of from 50° to 55° or 60°. 
In starting them in the spring of the third year it will be necessary to give the 
plants a small shift, and introduce them to stove heat from the middle of February 
to the first week in March, that is, if you want them to bloom in May and June ; 
but for later blooming, they must be in a low temperature until April or May. 
During the blooming season supply them liberally with liquid manure, but take care 
that it is neither too strong nor too muddy. A very weak solution of nitrate of soda 
imparts a very healthy appearance to the plants if applied occasionally, and we 
imagine gives colour to the flowers. 
The annexed vignette gives a representation of an Ixora grandiflora in the third 
season of its growth, and was taken from a plant in the collection of James Cook, 
Esq., of Brooklands, Blackheath Park, whose gardener, Mr. Ayres, showed it at 
several of the metropolitan exhibitions, where doubtless some of our readers may 
have observed it. Unfortunately, our drawing only shows a part of the plant and 
flowers, as it was quite round, and equally well covered on all sides. It produced 
upwards of sixty heads of bloom, and had between thirty and forty fully expanded 
trusses when our sketch was taken. Such a plant we consider well repays any 
attention which may be devoted to its cultivation, as it is not only a grand object in 
itself, but continuing to bloom for several months, fills a place very worthily in the 
stove, and charms us for a long time. 
