108 
THE FLOBAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
in mind that those chosen must he of the best possible form, clear 
colours and marking, as much depends on this in producing new 
and first-rate varieties. When this is done, some secluded place in 
the garden should be selected, to keep them entirely apart from any 
inferior varieties, with which the bees would cross them, and 
produce muddy, unsightly flowers, instead of clear and well-defined 
colours. When the seeds are ripe, sow immediately in some shady 
place ; and as soon as large enough, prick off thinly into pans or 
wide pots, and keep close for a few days, until they are properly 
established, when they may be removed to the open air until large 
enough to place in single pots: should large plants be required, 
they should be stopped when about two or three inches high. As 
soon as the seeds are gathered, the old plants should be cut down, 
or partly so, as in many instances the crowns of the plants rot if cut 
too close to the surface. Now that they are cut down, remove them 
to some shady place (a north border being preferable), until they 
throw up young shoots, when they should be potted into large pots, 
in a light compost, or planted out in the open gi’ound in a light soil, 
where they will furnish strong cuttings, and from these only can 
good specimens be obtained. When they have grown about an inch 
or two, remove the cuttings, and place them in mould prepared lor 
the purpose — composed of equal parts of loam, leaf-mould, and 
silver sand, taking care to well drain the pots with potsherds. 
When rooted (which will be in about a fortnight), pot off into 
thumbs or three-inch pots, in a nice light soil. Should first-rate 
plants be wanted, every care will now be required to keep them in a 
growing and healthy condition, to which end they should be shifted 
every few weeks until they receive their final potting, which should 
be about January; every care should be taken that they do not get 
pot-bound in small pots, as that would throw them into a blooming 
state immediately. The compost I would recommend for specimens 
intended for exhibition, and for large plants generally, would be 
two parts of good turfy loam, and equal parts of well-decomposed 
cow-dung and leaf-mould, with an admixture of silver or river sand. 
As the plants grow, take care to thin out all superfluous leaves, so 
as to admit the air freely and prevent mildew, which is a great pest, 
and which can only be removed by applying sulphur to the parts 
affected. The Cineraria should only be stopped once, as the second 
operation tends to produce weak growth. As soon as the shoots are 
long enough, tie out wide, keeping the outer branches as low as 
possible, and place them close to the glass, which will insure dwarf 
and compact plants. I had nearly forgotten the drainage, which 
should be of rough leaf-mould and potsherds mixed, which will keep 
the roots in a white and healthy state ; fumigate occasionally, to 
prevent the green-fly ; and water very sparingly through the winter 
months, increasing the supply as the spring advances, when weak 
liquid manure may occasionally be given. 
