THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. o51 
the neck of the stem, immediately below the surface of the soil, 
are more vigorous and bear fruit in greater abundance and of better 
quality than those that are planted- too deep, which on the contrary 
languish and continue unproductive although planted under the same 
circumstances of soil and situation as the preceding. There is 
another important point which we caunot pass over in silence. It is 
a bad practice of pruning or mutilating the trees before planting. 
This practice is not in any respect a rational one. How, indeed, 
can it be expected, that a young tree can take well after suffering 
from transplanting and a change of soil ; whilst at the same time it 
is subjected to amputations which, under the circumstances, it is 
impossible to heal. Strictly speaking, the branches of a trans- 
planted tree ought not to be pruned till it has taken root, till the 
buds have pushed by the first flow of sap, or rather after the second, 
in August or September. 
CECHMEA FULGENS. 
I1E unusual length of time during which this CEchmea 
lasts in beauty, renders it one of the most useful 
plants at present in cultivation. It is extremely suit- 
able for flowering in small pots for furnishing vases in 
rooms ; and being a somewhat striking plant, and 
capable of bearing the conflnement of a close apartment for a con- 
siderable time without much injury, it is an excellent subject for 
house decoration. Plants intended to form large specimens, should 
be grown on freely the first season, getting the suckers potted early 
iu spring, putting three in a seven-inch pot, and keeping them grow- 
ing as late in autumn as can be done without drawing or weakening 
the foliage, and affording them sufficient pot-room, with plenty of 
heat and moisture. In winter give no more water to the soil than 
will suffice to prevent it from getting unhealthily dry, and let the 
plants occupy a cool light part of the stove, in order to check and 
mature their growth, and insure their blooming. After allowing 
them six weeks or two months’ rest, they may be placed in a bottom- 
heat, giving the soil sufficient water to properly moisten it, and they 
will soon be in full beauty. But it will not be advisable to remove 
them to a cool bouse while in flower, as this would prevent their 
makiug any growth while in that state, and the inflorescence 
lasts so long in beauty, that this would be a considerable hindrance, 
where large specimens are wanted without loss of time. In this 
case, therefore, it will be better to let the plants remain in the stove, 
placing them where they can be spared from the syringe, and as 
much out of the way of damp as possible. When the flowering of 
the plant is over, cut out the spikes, and remove any of the leaves 
that may be inteifering with the young suckers ; but do not cut 
down the shoots that have flowered until this becomes necessary to 
prevent crowding the suckers. The plants should be now repotted, 
placing them in a warm part of the stove, and iu bottom-heat if con- 
November. 
