28 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ February, 
ing temperature. If potted-on as the roots extend, they will make rapid pro¬ 
gress, and will require to be shifted into 6, 7, or 8-in. pots during May. In order 
to insure a neat, compact habit of growth, it is very important that they should 
be fully exposed to light, and kept near to the glass, pinching back the shoots 
repeatedly, which is the only means to insure density of habit. When the young 
growth is somewhat advanced under glass and judiciously hardened, which will be 
after midsummer, remove the plants to a sheltered situation—yet fully exposed 
—out of doors ; and from this time discontinue the stopping of the shoots, more 
particularly of such as are required to bloom very early. To obtain larger plants a 
portion of the one-year-old plants should be cut closely back after flowering, and 
as soon as the buds have pushed, repotted, reducing the balls and roots, and 
afterwards encouraging active growth. As this plant blooms so early in the 
season, I prefer to grow the earliest batch in pots. They, however, grow freely 
planted out upon a warm garden-border, and may be taken up and potted during 
September. [This, the most highly-scented of the species, long known in gardens 
as E. gracile odoratum^ has been identified with E. Berlandieri, by Mr. Baker.] 
Eupatorium ligustrinum^ alias E. Weinmannianum^ E. odoratum^ &c., has 
the great merit of hardiness of constitution, which enables it to stand unaffected 
in a comparatively cold atmosphere. It is, moreover, a free-growing, dense- 
habited shrub, clothed with bright glossy leaves, and furnished during mid-winter 
in the greatest profusion with its fragrant blossoms, which have the additional 
property of standing for a length of time in perfection. As to treatment, it 
may accord very much with that of the preceding variety in the younger stages 
of growth, but being more robust in constitution, it will luxuriate in a richer 
soil, and being so thoroughly hardy, immense plants may be produced, 
where space is no object, by planting out the one-year-old plants, and 
repotting them again during September, placing them in a shady situa¬ 
tion until established. This is an excellent companion for the former 
species, and is certain to please all who may essay its culture. It is an 
old acquaintance, which I have known during the last twenty-eight years, and 
has been brought again into prominent notice by the large and growing demand 
for winter-blooming subjects. This plant has been mentioned by Mr. Green, of 
the Botanic Nursery, Eeigate, as standing out unprotected, and producing flowers 
for several winters, in Sussex {Gard. Chron.^ n.s., v. 115). This is, no doubt, 
quite correct, as I have known it to stand occasionally unprotected in favoured 
situations during mild winters. At the same time, the blossoms do not expand 
fully or with any amount of freedom ; therefore, excepting in highly-favoured 
localities and situations, I look upon E. ligustrinum as a worthless plant for the 
open border. There are two varieties of this under cultivation, but so closely 
related as to differ merely in the more upright lax habit of the one as compared 
with the other, the flower-clusters being exactly alike, whilst the growing plants 
in general aspect are certainly distinct. 
The Eupatorium riparium very fitly sncceeds E, ligustrinum as to time of 
