THE FLOBAL WOBLD AND GABDEN GUIDE. 
87 
proportions, well intermixed with plenty of sharp sand to secure 
rapid drainage, cutting the shoots well back to strong prominent 
eyes. After potting, plunge in a sharp bottom-heat, and maintain a 
moist atmosphere by frequent syringings, but carefully avoid over- 
watering the soil until the plants fairly start into growth. 
The shoots may be loosely trained to stakes until the plants can 
be shifted into their flowering-pots, when light wire trellises may 
be applied, so as to enable them to be kept neatly and regularly 
tied. There is no danger of over-potting a plant like this, for with 
good management, plenty of light, and the command of heat and 
moisture, it will fill a 20-inch pot, and form an immense specimen 
in the course of a few months, or it will bloom nicely in a 12-inch 
pot, forming a handsome, moderate-sized plant. Therefore, the size 
of the flowering-pot may be regulated by circumstances, the only 
difference being that the plants will bloom earlier, and their beauty 
will be shorter lived in small pots, and vice versa. If a large shift 
is given, however, be very careful not to give too much water to the 
soil until the roots reach the sides of the pot, and when this is the 
case a liberal supply of clear manure water should be administered. 
Keep the shoots regularly trained to the trellis, and continue to 
keep up a brisk bottom-heat, with a warm, moist, humid atmosphere, 
until ttiey are fairly in bloom, when they may be gradually prepared 
for removal to the show-house ; and if this is done carefully, and 
they are afforded a close corner not exposed to draughts, they will 
continue to unfold their brilliant flowers for a very long period. By 
taking care to get the wood well ripened, affording the plants a 
period of rest, and disrooting, etc., as recommended above, the 
specimens will last for any number of years. 
NEW BOOK. 
The Amateur’s Kitchen Garden, Frame Ground, and Forcing Fit. 
By Shirley Hibberd. London : Groombridge and Sons. 
T is hardly allowable for us to express an opinion on the 
merits of this volume; which we are sure will be wel- 
comed by very many of our readers, but with the view 
of explaining the object and scope of the book, we quote 
the opinion formed of it by our clever and practical 
contemporary, “ The Journal of Horticulture ” : — 
“ This volume forms part of a series of gardening books for 
amateurs which the author has from time to time produced, and 
which have met with a considerable amount of public favour. This 
is certainly net the least useful of the series ; it is also attractive, 
lor it is well printed on toned paper, and contains plans, diagrams, 
and illustrations elucidatory of the text, and also a few too highly 
coloured plates. These were, perhaps, included, with the object of 
lightening the subject-matter of the book, which the title might 
suggest as being somewhat heavy. Kitchen gardening is pro- 
verbially hard work. It consists largely of digging, trenching, and 
March. 
