225 
CULTURE OF THE BOUVARDIA TRIPHYLLA* 
About the middle of April collect all the Bouvardias together,, from the place 
where they have been kept through the dormant season : some amongst the orange 
tubs, others in cold frames,, and others under the stage of the green-house. 
Turn them all out of their pots, and shake the soil completely from the roots; 
thin off most of the large roots, yet retain as many of the fine fibrous ones as pos- 
sible. Likewise at the same time cut down all the former years’ shoots, retaining 
only two, three, or four eyes on each, according to the age or strength of the plant. 
Plant them in pots suitable to the size of the plants, taking care never to overpot 
them, nor to cramp the roots by confinement. 
When potted, water them to settle the earth about their roots, and place them in 
a cold frame, which is covered with hay and mats at night : keep the lights close 
during the night, and even in the day, unless the sun is very strong upon them, 
till they begin to grow ; then give them portions of air, according to the day and 
their advance in growth. Subsequently leave the lights off through the day, and 
lastly do not put them on at night. 
In about a week after they have been thus exposed, plant them finally out for the 
season, either in clumps by themselves, or distributed among other plants, when 
they are soon in fine bloom, and continue to flower till Christmas. By the autumn 
some of the year’s shoots will have attained nearly a yard in length, and will be 
crowned with fine luxuriant clusters of splendid trumpet-like flowers. 
As soon as frost is apprehended, take up the plants with balls of earth attached 
to their roots, disturbing the young growing fibres as little as possible, and place 
them carefully in pots that will admit of a little good mellow soil under the ball 
and around it. 
When they are thus replaced in pots and watered, so as to settle the mould, those 
which are in luxuriant bloom mix amongst the green-house plants, when they will 
make a splendid appearance till January. 
When the plants begin to shed their leaves, and the flowers are nearly gone, put 
them out of sight, as mentioned above, until April. 
This treatment may be continued with the same plants for many years ; for the 
application of fresh soil, the trimming of the old roots, the great luxuriance gained 
by growing without confinement of their roots in congenial soil in summer, reno- 
vate the plants, which could not be done by any other means of culture. 
Bouvardias are propagated by cuttings of the roots, which are managed as follows : 
fill some large fruiting pine pots with good fresh mellow loam, well blended with 
either thoroughly rotten dung or vegetable mould. 
Plant the roots all over the pot, beginning in a circle round the outside, opening 
