July 24, 1890. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
73 
active roots or feeders. These are matters that may not often 
burden the careful cultivator, but they do occur nevertheless, 
though the cause of disaster is not often attributed to errors of 
culture. 
Planted-out Abutilons will flower continuously if they have a 
temperature of 45° to 50° assured to them, the situation being light, 
and care being taken to keep up a succession of flowering wood ; 
but they are all the better for a rest in winter, the soil then being 
kept dry, but not so dry as to impair the vitality of the plants. If 
the wood shrivels it is too dry, which is not resting but starving 
plants to death. It is needless expecting such to break as strongly 
and make as vigorous growth as those that have been granted 
rational treatment. In February the plants may be cut back, each 
growth to a few joints of the old wood, and where extension is 
required firm well-ripened wood can be trained-in to fill it, merely 
•cutting away their unripe points. Old worn-out wood may be 
surface. The foliage and bloom wdl show the benefit in due course. 
The plants will come into flower in a few weeks, and keep on right 
away through the summer and autumn, if not greater part of the 
winter, the house of course being kept as before stated at a 
minimum temperature of 45° to 50°. 
Abutilons also form magnificent standards. The plants should 
be trained up with a single and straight stem to the height re¬ 
quired, they appearing to great advantage when on 4 feet 6 inches 
to G feet stems for conservatory, whilst plants with 2 feet stems 
are charming for table decoration. Pots of 8 inches diameter will 
hold sufficiently large plants for table, but for the larger and 
taller plants 12-inch pots are little enough. The plants are allowed 
to grow somewhat taller than the intended height of stem, so as to 
get solidified growth to where the heading is to take place, and 
then the heads are cut clean off, all laterals or side growths being 
rubbed off on the stem Avhen quite young, leaving the leaves at 
Fig. 11.—DAVALLIA FCENICULACEA. 
'displaced in a similar manner— i.c., cutting out the old and laying- 
in the young wood. Plants that become bare at the base may be 
•cut down, they breaking freely from the old wood. After pruning 
•a gentle sprinkling over the foliage will encourage a speedy and 
regular break, and when fresh growth is made the plants, if in pots, 
maybe repotted, picking away the soil at the sides and bottom of the 
ball, so as to reduce them about a third, which, if they are to be 
returned to the same size of pot, will admit some fresh soil at the 
’base and sides, the roots being cut close back. Those planted out 
should have the soil removed from amongst the roots at some little 
distance from the stem, so as not to disturb the fibrous or main 
Toots at the cobar, and if in compartments the soil may be taken out 
at the sides, the ‘roots cut back, and fresh soil added, in all cases 
making it moderately firm, for which it must be in a medium state 
as to moisture. Avoid soil that is very dry or very wet. Water 
■carefully until the plants have made fresh roots, and indicate 
possession of the soil by pushing fresh growths freely, then 
water thoroughly as required, and feed with liquid manure or 
artificials, applied in a surface dressing of light lumpy decomposing 
material, such as old cowdung, which will attract the roots to the 1 
their base, as they help in a measure to thicken the stem as it 
advances in height, relying on the uppermost two or three growths 
for the formation of the head. Stop those when they have two 
or three leaves, merely taking out the points of the shoots, and 
continue this as fresh growth is made until the plants have a dozen 
or more shoots, when they may be allowed to flower. This being 
effected by midsummer, as it will if one-year old plants are selected, 
they being trained the previous year to form the stem desired, the 
plants will afford a fine display of bloom, and being seen on a level 
with the eye are very pleasing, and will keep on flowering in a 
suitable temperature until winter. It is desirable to give them a few 
weeks’ rest by keeping them drier and cooler, and from the middle of 
February to early March they may be pruned, cutting back to well 
ripened wood, the weak wood being cut away, and others may be 
left of such length as will form symmetrical heads, two or three 
joints of wood being ample to leave on plants that have well- 
iturnished heads, or ■when a compact head is desired. The plants 
may he given a little extra warmth to start them into, growth, 
damping occasionally, and when pushing fresh growths disrooting 
i and repotting. 
