CULTURE OF THE GENUS BANKSIA. 
1. The soil most suitable for them is equal parts of peat and light loam, with a 
small portion of sand. Mix these ingredients well together, and break them fine, 
but do not sift them. 
2. In potting, always be careful to give a good drainage ; filling not less than 
one-fourth of the pots with broken potsherds, and on the top of these lay a little 
rough turfy soil, to prevent the upper soil from falling amongst them, and stopping 
the passage of the water. 
3. Never allow them to suffer for want of water, for their roots by this means 
will become so seriously injured, that they scarcely ever thoroughly recover if this 
is the case. They also suffer greatly, if too much water be administered, but when 
the drainage is good, the injury is seldom so serious as from drought. 
4 During the time they stand in the green-house, do not allow them to be 
crowded by other plants, neither suffer them to be much shaded ; but in summer, 
when they are placed out of doors, allow them to stand in a shady situation, where 
they can only receive the morning and evening sun. 
5. Whilst out of doors, be careful that no worms effect an entrance into the 
pots ; to prevent this, always place a board or slate for each pot to stand upon, but 
should any find their way in, once or twice watering with clear lime-water will 
destroy them. 
6. If the weather is very wet, they must be set in a pit, or frame, or airy green- 
house during the summer months, as the wet would very likely destroy them. 
7. Propagation by Seeds. Sow them in pots filled with the same kind of soil 
in which the plants are potted. 
8. The best time to sow the seed is April ; cover them a quarter of an inch deep, 
give them a gentle watering, and place them in the greenhouse. If they are not 
up by the end of May, place the pots close under a south wall, and cover them with 
a little moss to keep the soil moist, and occasionally water them, and if the seed be 
not very old, they will soon make their appearance. But in some cases they do 
not appear till autumn, therefore it is well not to be in a hurry to empty the pots 
in which the seed is sown. 
9. As soon after they are up as they can be transplanted, put them into small 
pots, one in each, for if allowed to grow to much size, removing is apt to kill 
them. 
10. After potting, place them in a somewhat shady part of the greenhouse, 
until they have begun to grow, when they may be treated like old plants. 
11. Propagation by Cuttings. No stated time can be be given for putting in 
the cuttings. To have success, ripened wood must be made use of. Take off the 
