CULTURE OF THE POLYANTHUS. 
109 
rains, until they begin to grow in the spring. They seldom suffer so much from 
frosts as auriculas, but to insure a good bloom in the spring it is best to give them 
sufficient shelter. 
6. Always pot them immediately after the flowering season, that is, about the 
end of May or beginning of June, except such as are to produce seed ; follow the 
directions given for auriculas, in p. 11, rule 11. 
7. Throughout winter keep them rather dry than otherwise, as recommended for 
auriculas ; and when they begin to throw up their flower stems, expose them now 
and then to gentle showers, as recommended for auriculas, p. 10, rules 4 & 5, 
8. In February, or never later than the beginning of March, the plants must be 
top-dressed with the same soil in which they are recommended to be grown; 
remove for the purpose an inch or more of the old soil from the surface. 
9. As soon as the buds have formed, thin out all the inside ones, and leave only 
about six, never more than ten, of those on the outside to expand. 
10. When the flowers begin to expand, and, indeed, some time previous to this, 
the buds must be shaded from the effects of the sun and rains, by boards precisely 
of the same nature as those figured, p. 10, and described, rule 8. 
11. When the flowering season is over, remove the plants to an airy but some- 
what sheltered situation in the garden, and allow them to remain there until they 
have ripened their seeds. 
12. Gather the seed as soon as the seed-vessels begin to change colour, and 
sow it immediately in pans or feeders filled with the same compost as that in 
which the plants are potted ; proceed in precisely the same manner with sowing 
and transplanting, as recommended p. 11, rules 9 & 10. 
13. In potting, always give a good drainage, and also break off the old bottom 
carrot-like stumpy root, retaining that part only which has plenty of young fibres ; 
breaking it off is always preferable to cutting, as the metal, for reasons unknown 
to us, appears to have a very injurious effect on the plants. 
14. When potted, water them pretty freely, to settle the soil, place them in a 
shady but airy situation. This shade is indispensable, for if not attended to the 
plants will shortly suffer. 
15. Remove all the large offsets in March or April, because they grow quickest 
in Spring ; if they are small when planted they will be very liable to die. 
16. After being potted, water them well, and place them in a shady situation 
where they can have plenty of pure air. They should not be watered again until 
they show signs of having formed roots. 
17. Always select seed from the most compact and best flowers, as Parks’ Lord 
Nelson, &c. &c. 
18. If it is not convenient to grow them in pots, after taking off the offsets in 
Spring, plant them in a shady border on an east nr west aspect, and water them 
plentifully until they strike root. 
19. Always make the beds for their reception something higher than the 
surrounding ground, and always shade the plants upon them from excessive rains. 
vol. i.- — no. v. Q 
