122 
THE GENUS PLUMBAGO. 
into larger pots ; but through the first season it is not desirable 
to over-pot them, Or the young wood becomes long-jointed, and 
it is then difficult to form compact plants; just enough encou¬ 
ragement to keep up a healthy growth is sufficient, and, after the 
development of two or three joints, the shoots should be stopped, 
to induce bushiness. Supposing the cuttings to be struck in 
March, a continuance of this treatment up to the middle of August 
will result in the production of neat little specimens, which may 
be then allowed to grow uninterruptedly through the autumn, 
and, if well ripened, in October will bear five or six heads of 
flowers, which, in a warm greenhouse, will be displayed in winter 
or early in the following spring. Immediately after flowering, 
the plants should be cut down and repotted, placing them this 
time in large pots, and, if any look weak, they will be benefited 
by being placed in gentle heat. The previous course of stopping 
must be repeated, continuing it according to the time it is desired 
the plants should flower. If they are required to bloom in 
summer, it will be best to forward their growth in heat, and stop 
them only twice; but, if for winter, the previous year’s treat¬ 
ment may be repeated exactly. 
The other Cape species, P. tristis, succeeds also under green¬ 
house treatment; but, having brown flowers, is seldom thought 
worth growing. Those from South America and India require 
to be grown in the stove. P. rosea, one of the number, is a 
beautiful plant, with large, handsome foliage, and spikes of 
bright, deep rose-coloured flowers. It is rather difficult to ma¬ 
nage well, but is certainly deserving the necessary attention to 
have it in perfection. Cuttings strike in sandy peat, covered 
with a bell-glass, and plunged in a brisk heat, though not so 
freely as those of capensis. The plants, when thoroughly rooted, 
should be potted off into very sandy peat, and nursed under a 
hand-light on a bark-bed. Their progress is not rapid till the 
roots reach the outside of the pots, when they generally make a 
strong erect shoot, which must be stopped by taking off just the 
terminal bud, and the succeeding repotting should be deferred 
till the lateral buds on the new wood have started. Shifted then 
into pots a couple of sizes larger, using well-drained sandy peat, 
and assisted with a brisk, moist heat, they will form three or 
four, or more, strong, healthy shoots, and perfect them by the 
