102 
GLENNY ON THE CALCEOLARIA. 
necessary, and be secured against frost. As 
the plants enlarge, they will require other 
pots, but they may enjoy a period of com- 
parative rest from the end of October till they 
make a fresh move in the early spring ; 
however, plants of good shrubby habits do not 
actually stop growing at all. Before they are 
shut up for the winter, the surface should be 
stirred, the loose mould shook off, and the pots 
filled up level ; they will scarcely want water- 
ing all the winter, unless it be unusually bright 
and warm. 
SPRING SHIFTING. 
The established plants and seedlings alike 
require to be removed to larger pots as soon 
as there are any symptoms of making new 
growth, that is, presuming the pots are full of 
fibres, or at least that these have reached the 
side. The sized pots in which they are to be 
placed must depend on the size they are re- 
moved from ; from 60's to 48's, from 48's to 
32's, from 32's to 24's, from 24's to 16's, 
and 16's to 12's, which is large enough to 
carry a very handsome well-grown specimen. 
The mode of shifting has been described. 
CUTTINGS. 
In going over all the plants, to see that there 
are no useless shoots left on, many will be 
found that may be removed, by merely 
breaking them off from the base ; very small 
ones will answer all the purposes of propaga- 
tion. Those who require many will grow a 
few plants pretty hard after blooming, to in- 
duce shoots on purpose to take off, but any 
small pieces will strike readily in the ordinary 
compost, with a quarter of an inch of silver 
sand at top. The cuttings must be put in so 
as to touch the compost, but not to go into it, 
and the sand will always protect them from the 
air by working down close every time it is 
watered. They should be covered with a bell- 
glass, that touches all round the inside of the 
edge of the pot ; but, as most cuttings strike 
more readily when placed close round the 
edge, so as to touch the pot, it is better to fill 
a pot with cuttings all round the edge, and to 
place this pot inside another, with a good 
inch of room all round ; the bell-glass resting 
upon the soil, which must be filled in between 
the two pots. The object of the glass is to 
exclude drafts of air, and prevent evaporation 
from taking place too rapidly. A slight 
bottom heat will facilitate the striking, but 
the glass must be wiped dry inside every day, 
and the soil kept moist, for if once the cut- 
tings become dry, they would stand a poor 
chance of recovering. In a few weeks the 
cuttings will begin to grow, which is a pretty 
safe indication of their having struck, and 
when they have acquired some strength of 
root, they may be potted off carefully, one in 
each pot, which may be the smallest or thumb 
pot, or the first recognised size called 60's. 
They should be closed up in a frame a day 
or two, and then submitted to the treatment 
already described for plants brought in, which, 
with some varieties, are rarely more than a 
struck cutting in its first separate pot. 
The following hints refer to the general 
features of the cultivation of the Calceolaria, 
during the year : — 
January. — The plants should now be in 
pits, which can be well protected against frost, 
but not heated artificially. They should have 
little or no water, nor should they be un- 
covered during a frost. If the weather be 
mild and damp, let them have all the air they 
can get, by uncovering them altogether ; if, 
on the contrai'y, there be wind, they must 
only have air given by propping the lights on 
the side or end, on the fair weather side. 
Generally speaking, the plants should have as 
little water during the winter months as 
can be given to keep them from quite flag- 
ging. Towards the end of the month the 
plants will begin to grow. "Watch closely for 
green fly, and upon the slightest indication of 
its presence, fumigate with tobacco or tobacco 
paper. 
February. — This month the surface of all 
the soil in the pots that are large enough, may 
be stirred as low as it can be done without 
disturbing the fibres, and thrown out to make 
room for a top-dressing of leaf-mould and 
cow-dung perfectly decomposed; with this top- 
dressing, towards the end of the month, and 
a gentle watering, if well covered up for a day, 
the plants will set off growing ; and when 
there is no frost or cold winds, let the glasses 
be quite off. Cover up carefully at night, 
and also in cold weather. Seeds may be sown. 
March. — Continue the treatment of last 
month. Propagate by cuttings when they 
can be taken ; they ought to consist of the 
young shoots when two inches long. All the 
plants which are in pots that are filled with 
roots and require shifting, should be carefully 
turned out and put from 60's to 48's, from 
48's to 32's, or 24's, and from this to 16's, 
carefully keeping the surface of the soil close, 
but not above the collar of the plant : after 
shifting, they must be watered and shut up 
one day. Look out still for green fly, and 
destroy them before they can get a head. 
Sow seed in wide-mouthed pots ; scatter it very 
thinly. Pot off the seedling plants. 
April. — Give plenty of air and pay great 
attention to watering. Propagate by cuttings. 
As we do not encourage herbaceous varieties, 
we are almost unwilling to give a hint about 
them ; but as they soon throw up thin, long 
