10-1 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGI8T. 
[ May, 
grow, until the middle or end of May. By this time they will form strong 
plants, in G in. or 8 in. pots, with a dozen or score of shoots a piece. For such 
a rapid run, they will have required pretty liberal treatment, such as a tem¬ 
perature of from GO 0 to 70°, the plants set rather close to the glass, plentifully 
watered at the root, and freely syringed overhead. The leaves are very bright 
and clean, and few plants have a nicer habit. The only insects that attack them 
are the green fly and the thrips. The former is easily got rid of, and the latter 
seldom makes its appearance under a liberal regimen at top and bottom. 
Throughout May the plants should be gradually and carefully prepared for 
their summer quarters out-of-doors. Towards the end of the month, or at the 
beginning of June, this transference from the inside to the outside may be made. 
The position chosen should be somewhat sheltered from high winds, the soil 
rich, and the planting carefully performed. As soon as planted, a sturdy stake, 
from 3 ft. to 4 ft. high above the earth, must be immovably fixed into the 
ground, and the plant made fast to it, the stouter branches being looped or 
tacked on to it. This staking and training is of great importance to this Salvia , 
for its stems are extremely brittle. All the plants need for the next three months 
are : careful tying, and plenty of food and water. If the soil is poor, it may be 
enriched with sewage or manure-water; but in good soil, clean water will suffice 
for the summer growth, which should be free and strong, but not rank or gross, as 
the latter quality would add to the brittleness of the plants without swelling the 
number of their scarlet spikes of flowers. All the plants might be stopped 
once or twice from June to the middle of July, but beyond that period those 
intended for November flowering should not be stopped, though the later batches 
for succession might be stopped up to the end of September. 
In October, at the latest, the whole of the plants must be taken up and care¬ 
fully potted with as little disturbance to the roots as possible. Place them in a 
cool pit, or a cool close house, shade if need be to prevent flagging, and sprinkle 
overhead for a time until the plants have recovered from their removal from 
the ground into pots. Of course, the largest plants will receive the largest pots, 
and be the first to be brought on for the conservatory. Plants a yard high and 
almost as much through will stare the Chrysanthemums out of countenance with 
their glow of scarlet, and really produce a magnificent effect. They will stand 
for two months in a warm conservatory, and flower in the interval. Meanwhile, 
the succession plants should have been moved from the cold pit—they hate cold 
and damp in winter—and been brought on in a peach-house or vinery at work, at 
a temperature of 45° or 55°. These will take the place of the first batch when 
they leave the conservatory. If there is a third set for succession, the first lot 
of plants may be thrown away; but if not, they may be picked over, top-dressed 
with rich soil or manure, soaked with manure-water, all the old flower stalks and 
weak branches cut back, and the plants placed in a temperature of 50° to 60°, 
and they will be in full flower again in six weeks or two months, and may be 
returned to the conservatory, or reserved for cut flowers, as wanted. 
