250 
THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
servatory, and when placed there it is absolutely necessary to avoid 
all extremes in regard to watering, or the consequence will be that 
the foliage will assume a sickly hue, and prematurely drop off, and 
the flowers will not be so long-lived as if the soil was kept in 
a medium condition between wet and dry. When the beauty of the 
plants begins to fade, they should be turned out to harden off 
previous to their being cut back in July, being intended for the first 
blooming in the following May ; and the conservatory should be 
replenished by a batch cut down early in September. 
When the latter have broken, are shaken out and repotted, 
they should be kept as dormant as possible all the winter. In April 
they must be shifted into large pots, and at once introduced into the 
forcing-house, where they should receive the same treatment as the 
former lot. The plants for the third succession must be selected 
from those cut down in September. They should be introduced into 
the forcing-house in April, along with the others ; they should not 
be shifted then, but stopped back, and when they have broken they 
should be shifted, and afterwards treated in all respects as the 
former lots. 
The soil which I use for my plants consists of equal portions of 
rich friable loam, leaf-mould, and well-decomposed cow-dung, mixed 
with coarse silver sand and lime rubbish to the amount of about 
one-eighth of the whole. These should be well incorporated with a 
spade, but not sifted. For large plants especially, ample drainage is 
essential — say a few oyster-shells, and over these an inch in thick- 
ness of the rough siftings of old lime rubbish, then a layer of flaky 
hot-bed manure. I would here remark that during their earlier 
stages of growth, the soil should not be of so forcing or heavy a 
character as for more advanced plants. I mean it should contain 
more sand and less dung. 
MANETTIA BICOLOR, 
n 'jHERE are many plants in cultivation, which, during the 
short period they are in flower, have a much more 
striking appearauee than this ; but I scarcely know 
one which surpasses it in continuance and profusion of 
blossoms, or is so accommodating in habit. Being 
easily propagated, and forming good-sized specimens in one season, 
it is advisable to keep up a stock of young plants, which occupy 
less room and are generally more satisfactory than large ones kept 
after blooming. Short-jointed rather firm bits of young wood, 
planted in sandy peaty soil, covered with a bell-glass, and afforded a 
gentle bottom-heat, root freely, if properly supplied with moisture 
and guarded from damp ; and they will probably be ready to pot off 
in the course of a month or so. After placing them singly in small 
pots, set them in a close, moist, rather shady situation, until they 
shall have become established in their pots ; and as soon as that is 
the case, accustom them to a free circulation of air and full expo- 
