THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
209 
of the sun and air, the wood will attain a necessary degree of hard- 
ness. Here they remain until taken into the house for the winter, 
which is generally done about the end of September ; the time 
varies according to season, but they are housed before danger arises 
from frost. To improve the appearance of the plants, and make 
them compact and bushy, I stop them at the third or fourth joint, 
and shift them into five-inch pots, using a little turfy loam and sand 
with the compost, to allow the water to pass freely through the soil. 
I give but little air during eight or ten days ; the plants will then 
be re-established, and afterwards as much air may be given as the 
state of the atmosphere will permit until the beginning of Decem- 
ber. The side-lights must be kept closed during the prevalence of 
cold winds. The pots by this time will be well filled with roots, 
and the plants will require shifting into eight-iuch pots. The bone- 
dust which is now added must be used with caution ; being of a dry- 
ing nature it is not used near the surface of the soil. The shoots are 
again stopped at the third joint, the house is kept at a temperature 
of 45° Fahrenheit for about ten days, and then allowed to fall to 
40° or 42°, at which it is kept. The flues are damped two or three 
times every night, to prevent the air from becoming too dry, and a 
little top air is admitted whenever the weather is sufficiently favour- 
able. 
About the middle of February, those plants which are intended 
to be large specimen plants are shifted again into nine-inch pots, 
those of vigorous growth will require a size larger. 
A small stick is now put to each stem to train them into uni- 
form and well-shaped plants. In the beginning of April, when fires 
are discontinued, th6 plants are syringed over the top three times a 
week ; this is done about four o’clock, at the time the house is 
closed, and continued during three or four weeks. The bouse is 
well damped every evening, and the bottom and the top sashes 
opened the first thing in the morning, to allow the damp air to 
escape, and during the day all the air is admitted that can be given 
with safety. 
The plants when beginning to bloom are freely watered, and pro- 
tected from scorching rays of the sun during the middle of the day 
by means of canvas ; and are thus retained in blossom a much longer 
time than would be possible if this precaution were omitted. When 
the plants are housed, the decayed leaves are removed ; and when- 
ever the green-fly makes its appearance, the house is well fumi- 
gated ; to do this effectually, it must be performed when the plants 
are in a dry state, and they must be well watered the day follow- 
ing. When the flowering is over, the plants are exposed for about 
a fortnight to the sun and air to harden the wood before being cut 
down. Those plants which are intended as specimen plants the 
sec nd season, after heading down, are placed in a sheltered situa- 
tion where little water is given, and as soon as the new shoots are 
an inch long, are repotted into pots from one to two sizes smaller ; 
the old soil is shaken from the roots and good drainage given. The 
plants thus treated are kept in better health during the winter, from 
having less soil about the roots. When repotted, they are placed 
July. 14 
