2G2 
THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 
attended to during the winter season are, giving a proper supply 
of water at tbe root, and admitting air at every favourable oppor- 
tunity, avoiding exposing tbe plants to cold wind, and keeping them 
near tbe glass. Towards tbe middle of March encourage growth by 
keeping tbe plants rather close ; but tbe night temperature Bbould 
not exceed 40° or 45°, and air should be admitted by day whenever 
tbe state of the weather will admit, and the plants must be kept near 
the glass. Before inducing growth, any straggling shoot should be 
cut back, and the branches neatly tied out, keeping them well down, 
towards the pot, and rather thin, so as to admit light and air, and 
induce them to break closely aud strongly. 
The state of the roots should also be seen to, giving more pot- 
room to such as require it ; but it will be safer to defer shifting 
until growth has fairly commenced, unless in the case of such as are 
found to be much pot-bound. The atmosphere should be kept moist, 
giving the plants a gentle syringing on the afternoons of fine days, 
and shutting up early, so as to avoid having to use fire-heat, which is 
apt to render the atmosphere too dry for these plants. 
As soou as the buds are started into growth, will be the proper 
time for repotting, and this should be attended to before the plants 
sufi'er through the want of pot-room. See to having the ball aud 
soil in a proper state as to moisture at the time of repotting, and 
make the new soil rather firm about the ball. Very little water will 
be required for some time after potting, if the atmosphere is kept 
rather close and thoroughly moist, and no more should be given than 
may he wanted ; for over-watering directly after potting is very apt 
to saturate the fresh soil, which, in a case of delicate-rooted plants, 
is most injurious. Whenever the weather becomes sufficiently mild 
to allow of managing the plants in a cold frame without exposing 
them to a lower temperature, this will be the best situation for them, 
as the atmosphere, etc., will be more under control. The treatment 
here during the summer will consist in giving free admission to 
air on all fine days, a proper supply of water to the soil, and 
a slight shade from the direct rays of the mid-day sun. Any 
shoots that incline to out-grow the others, or to become straggling, 
should be pinched back, in order to maintain a close bushy habit ; 
and when the nights become warm the lights may be thrown off the 
last thing in the evening, so as to expose the plants to the dew, 
which will greatly assist in keeping the wood strong; but the glass 
should be kept on while the air inclines to coldness, or during the 
prevalence of drying winds, and the plants should be moistened 
overhead in the afternoon, and shut down close for the evening. 
Vigorous-growing specimens will probably require a second shift 
early in summer, and this should be attended to whenever it is 
necessary, and every means used to maintain vigorous growth. 
Use the shading very sparingly towards autumn, and discontinue 
the use of the syringe whenever the weather becomes damp aud 
cloudy, and expose the plants freely to air, in order to ripen the 
wood befoi’e winter. A light, airy situation near the glass in the 
greenhouse should be afforded them in winter, and they should be 
removed to this place whenever damp, cloudy weather sets in. 
