THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 
263 
By subjecting the plants to similar treatment a second season, 
nnd with good management, they should he nice-sized specimens for 
dowering ; but those intended to flower should not be kept growing 
too late in autumn, as in this case they would probably not bloom 
so freely. 
Flowering specimens should be allowed to remain in some cool, 
airy part of the greenhouse until the blossoms open, and should be 
shaded from sunshine to preserve the beauty of the flowers, which 
soon fade under bright sunshine. After blooming, cut the shoots 
back sufficiently to insure a close growth ; give a moderate shift, and 
keep rather moist and close, but not warm, until they get into free 
growth, and otherwise attend to them as already recommended; but 
large plants may be gradually inured to exposure to the open air 
and removed to a sheltered situation out of doors, where they will 
be screened from the mid-day sun. If placed in the open air, how- 
ever, they must be carefully protected from heavy falls of rain, for 
they are very impatient of too much moisture at the root. Cuttings 
of the half-ripe wood root freely enough ; but beginners will find it 
to their advantage to leave their propagation to those who have 
proper convenience, and give their attention to this part of plant 
culture. For soil, use the very best peat that can be procured, 
selecting prime fibry pieces, which should be broken up rather small, 
and well intermixed with a liberal allowance of sharp silver-sand and 
a sprinkling of lumpy bits of charcoal or clean small potsherds, to 
ensure the free percolation of water through the mass. 
CYRTOCERAS REFLEXUM. 
[jLTHOUGH not one of the most showy of plants, this is 
certainly one of the most useful, being, under proper 
management, covered with its clusters of rather pretty 
and singular-looking flowers for several months at a 
time ; they are produced from the axil of almost every 
leaf on the young wood, and the flowers remain long in perfection. 
But to have it in perfection it requires to be grown in a close, moist, 
warm temperature, and enjoys a gentle bottom-heat ; and unless 
these conditions can be afforded it, there will be little chance of 
having it in a thriving state. 
Propagation is easily effected by means of cuttings of the rather 
firm young wood, which root readily under a hand-glass in bottom- 
heat. The cuttings should be potted singly in small pots, as soon 
as they are well rooted, and replaced in a moist warm temperature, 
affording them bottom-heat until they become well-established ; if 
possible, shade slightly from bright sunshine, keeping the atmo- 
sphere thoroughly moist, and sprinkling the plants frequently 
overhead, but water very cautiously at tbe root, for a soil saturated 
with water is very injurious to this plant. As soon as well estab- 
September. 
