44 
THE FLORAL "WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE, 
over by the application of fresh material, the first few hours’ scorch- 
ing sun will dry them up. The same rule holds good about applying 
the earthing when the leaves of the plants are dry, as in the in-door 
subjects. It is a good plan first to give the seedlings a soaking of 
water before this dusting is given, and it is a good prevention, too, 
against mildew, also against the attacks of vermin ; and, lastly, it is 
a sure and certain method to obtain short-legged, stocky plants, with 
a mass of fibrous roots, whicti, if carefully preserved, will allow them 
to be removed with little or no injury. 
ACHIMENES EOR CONSERVATOET DECORATION". 
BT WILLIAM COLE, 
Head Gardener, Ealing Park, Middlesex. 
MONO ST the large number of beautiful flowering plants 
adapted for the embellishment of the conservatory during 
the latter end of the summer season, the Achimenes 
deservedly hold a high place. They are not, however, 
grown so generally as they might be, because of the 
belief which exists that they cannot be grown successfully without 
the assistance of a stove. It is true they require a higher tem- 
perature during the earlier stages of growth than the ordinary 
greenhouse aflbrds, but they do exceedingly well in a cucumber or 
melon pit, or in a vinery or peach-house started early. There are, 
therefore, few gardens in which they may not be well grown, as 
nearly every one who has a garden at all tries to have a few cucumbers 
or melons. There is one important point worth noticing when 
speaking of their cultivation in either of the above-mentioned 
structures, and that is — they are very accommodating as to the time 
they are started into growth, and provided the roots are kept in a 
comparatively cool temperature, they need not be started until it is 
quite convenient to give them the temperature suitable for insuring 
a vigorous growth. 
The compost to obtain a free growth from the first must he 
rather light and rich, and to insure these essential conditions, well 
incorporate together two parts turfy loam, one part fibrous peat, one 
part leaf-mould, one part well-decayed manure, and a sixth part of 
silver sand. If the loam should happen to be deficient in fibrous 
matter, a small portion of cocoa-nut fibre refuse may be mixed with 
the soil to keep it more open than it would otherwise be ; it is also a 
very good plan to add a small proportion of clean crocks well broken 
up, or a few nodules of charcoal. The peat and loam must be 
chopped up rather fine, but only the large woody roots occasionally 
met with in the peat must be removed from it. The compost when 
used should be moderately moist, to prevent the necessity of applying 
water for some time after the roots are buried in the soil ; and it will 
be of considerable assistance in promoting an early growth if the 
soil is warmed, by placing it in the structure in which the roots are 
