THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 
299 
found to grow freely enough. Short-jointed bits of the young 
wood seh cted in a rather firm state, and treated in the ordinary 
manner, root with tolerable certainty, and young plants are readily 
obtained from seeds. But well-propagated plants may be obtained 
for a trifle, and it is hardly worth while for beginners to attempt 
their propagation, which requires "some time and careful attention 
if good young plants are to be produced. I will suppose that young 
plants are procured between now and March, and every care should 
be exercised to select healthy strong young samples with a bushy 
habit of growth, for future success will largely depeud upon obtain- 
ing vigorous well-propagated plants. 
About the beginning of March turn them carefully out of their 
pots, and if the balls are found to be well covered v ith healthy 
roots, shift into pots a convenient size larger, placing them alter re- 
potting near the glass in the warmest end of the greenhouse, or in 
a pit which can be kept rather close. Sprinkle the plants overhead 
on the afternoon of bright days, si inting up with a temperature by 
sun-beat of 5 o° or 00°, and endeavour to maintain a nice moist 
growing atmosphere, giving air freely on mild days, but guard 
against cold cutting winds. Also avoid as much as possible the use 
of fire-heat, and endeavour to coax the plants into early growth by 
carelully husbanding the sun’s influences; for unless the tempe- 
rature is proportioned to the amount of light, they will break thinly, 
ana make weakly growth. Indeed, the temperature should never 
exceed 45° by means of fire-heat, and this should be accompanied 
by plenty of moisture. The shoots, if there are several to a plant, 
should be nicely tied out after potting, in order to prevent the flow 
of sap to the uppermost buds, and induce them to break close and 
regularly. Very little water will be needed at the root for some 
time after shifting, and this must be administered very carefully at all 
times, as the plants are very impatient of stagnant moisture at the 
root, and soon suffer from any neglect in this respect; but while in 
tree growth they must not be allowed to suffer from the opposite 
extreme. As soon as the weather becomes mild, remove the plants 
to a cold frame, which will form the best and most convenient 
situation (or them in summer. Here they should be afforded a free 
circulation of air on favourable occasions, and a slight shade against 
bright sunshine, keeping the atmosphere as moist as can con- 
veniently be done. Sprinkle the plants overhead early on the 
afternoons of tine days, and shut the lights down for the evening, 
but eive air before retiring for the night, and after about the middle 
ot July, the lights may be thrown off at night when there is no 
danger of rain. As they advance in growth attend carefully to 
regulating the shoots, pinching out the point of auy one that may 
incline to take a decided lead of the others, and keeping them 
nicely tied out. If all goes on well, a second shift will probably be 
necessary towards the middle of June, and this should be given as 
soon as it may be wanted, in order to get the plants prettv well 
rooted into the fresh soil before the winter. When the weather 
becomes cloudy and damp in autumn, discontinue the use of the 
s) Huge and shading, and keep the plants ratLer dry and airy, in 
Oc tuber. 
