The Greenhouse and Frame 
231 
pots, using the same compost, after which they should not 
be repotted for two years unless large plants are required. 
They may be watered occasionally with liquid manure 
(weak to begin with). When they begin to lose their 
bottom foliage, and get rather a long stem, the head may 
be cut off and inserted as a cutting, or it may be rooted 
in a bottle of water and then potted in the usual way; or 
a cut may be made immediately under the fresh green 
leaves, three parts through the stem in a slanting direction 
upwards, a small piece of stone put in to keep the cut 
open. A handful of good moss may be tied under this, 
opening it out to form a cup, which should be filled with 
sandy peat, afterwards tying the moss all round and above 
the cut. The plant will soon emit roots if the moss and 
soil are kept moist by syringing, &c., and the roots will 
grow through the moss. It may then be cut off and potted 
in the usual way, to form a new plant. 
When these plants are in rooms, &c., for decoration, 
they must have sufficient water, yet they must not be 
allowed to stand in water, as sometimes happens, or the 
tips of the leaves will die back. The same thing will 
happen if they are put in a draughty place. When these 
plants have been in rooms for some time, their leaves 
should be sponged occasionally to keep them quite 
healthy. 
The Mealy Bug, Thrips, and Red Spider are the w'orst 
enemies of these plants. When Mealy Bug is noticed, 
the plants should be isolated and thoroughly cleansed 
with paraffin or methylated spirit. If it is a bad attack, 
the plants should be burned to ensure the destruction of 
this most terrible pest. 
