202 
THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
this great family. What a contrast, for example, does the little 
quaking grass afford to the great silvery plumes of the American 
Pampas grass, Gynerium argenteum , which adorns our gardens with 
its fountain-like herbage and gleaming silvery feathers. 
SALVIA SPLENDENS. 
HERE winter-flowering plants are largely in demand for 
the decoration of the conservatory, or for supplying cut 
flowers, this will be found exceedingly useful; for nice- 
sized specimens are easily grown in the course of the 
summer; they require very little attention or accommo- 
dation, and when seen in the form of large specimens, well covered 
with spikes of bright scarlet flow>ers, few winter blooming plants 
present a more brilliant appearance, and scarcely any remain so long 
in beauty. Being a very rapid grower, it is unnecessary to keep old 
plants after flowering, except one or two to supply cuttings, for young 
plants occupy much less space in spring, and form large specimens in 
course of one summer. Cuttings should be put in not later than 
the middle of March, and afforded a gentle bottom-heat until they 
emit roots, when they should be potted singly in pots. After pot- 
ting, place them in a close, but not over-warm situation, and as 
soon as they get established keep them under a glass, and afford 
them all the light possible, syringing overhead morning and evening 
in bright weather, and keeping the atmosphere as moist as circum- 
stances will admit. If good-sized specimens are wished by the 
autumn, the young plants should not be allowed to suffer for want 
of pot-room, but should be shifted as soon as the roots require more 
space ; and unless this be attended to it will be difficult, or nearly 
impossible, to keep them dwarf and well furnished ; and if the plants 
are allowed to get into a pot-bound, starved condition, their great 
enemy — red sfider — will also be sure to attack them. Eor soil, use 
equal parts turfy loam, leaf-soil, and thoroughly decomposed cow- 
dung, with a liberal admixture of sharp sand for first potting, and a 
small proportion, with plenty of lumpy bits of charcoal, for the after 
shifts. This compost will rather incline to be close ; therefore, 
efficient drainage must be secured, and care must be exercised in 
watering not to get the soil sodden before the pots get filled with 
roots. As to the plants in growth, the shoots should be stopped and 
tied out, in order to secure bushv compact specimens ; but if a 
vigorous root action is maintained, there will be little difficulty in 
keeping the plants bushy. A cold frame or pitwillbethe best situation 
for them after the beginning of May, or earlier if the weather proves 
favourable, but they should be kept close here, and not allowed to 
sustain any check, which at this stage would be very injurious. If 
all goes on well, the plants will be ready for shifting in good-sized 
pots by the end of June, and I seldom repot them after this season. 
By this time they should be strong and well established in eight-inch 
pots ; and when this is the case I shift some into twelve, and others 
into fifteen-inch pots, according to the strength of the plants and the 
