SEPTEMBER. 
275 
respects, and if allowed plenty of pot room, and kept free from insects, 
the plants will form nice specimens by the end of the first season, 
and may each produce flowers, but this will greatly depend upon their 
having been stopped at the proper season. The weaker plants should 
not be stopped at all, and there will be nothing gained, as respects the 
production of blossoms, by stopping even the stronger plants more than 
once, and none should be stopped later than the middle of July, or the 
first week in August. 
As soon as they have pretty well ripened the wood from which 
flow^ers are expected, they should be kept rather cool, or they may be 
removed to a shady, but airy situation in the greenhouse, or to any 
place where they can be assisted to harden their wood by a cool, dry 
atmosphere. Such of the plants as have never been stopped will 
probably show flower towards the middle or end of September, \vhen 
they may be removed to a damper atmosphere and kept rather moist, 
so as to encourage them to develope their beauty and fragrance; and 
if the plants are removed from the greenhouse, or cool situation in 
which they were placed to ripen their wood, to a warmer situation, at 
intervals of about a fortnight, they will afford a succession of flower for 
at least three months. While in blossom they will be found to require 
a rather dry atmosphere; and unless this is provided, their beauty will 
be short lasted. I have found a sitting-room window to suit them 
exceedingly well at this time, but situations where the temperature will 
average from 40*^ to 45°, and where they can be protected from damp, 
is all that they require. 
When they have done flowering, the plants should be rather sparingly 
supplied with water for a fortnight, previous to their being cut back, 
and they may be stowed away in any spare corner of the greenhouse or 
cold pit, where they will be safe from their great enemy—damp. 
After being treated rather hard for a fortnight, they should be cut back 
sufficiently to secure a compact, bushy growth, and now is the time 
when they can, with least trouble, be thoroughly cleared of insects. 
They are especial favourites with the black thrips, as most delicate 
plants are, and if these pests have a residence about the place at all, it 
may be looked for upon the Luculia, and they should now be carefully 
removed at any expense of time and labour; for if they are permitted 
to establish themselves they will do much injury during the ensuing 
season. After the plants have been cut back and cleaned, a portion 
may be encouraged to grow early in the season, so as to come into 
flower soon in the autumn; but it will be advisable to introduce them 
into heat very gradually, otherwise they will break their uppermost 
buds only, and will consequently become naked below. If the plants 
can be kept during their second season’s growth in a moist growing 
atmosphere, where they will receive abundance of light and protection 
from the direct rays of the sun during the summer months, and also 
guarded against the attacks of insects, and allowed plenty of pot room, 
they will form handsome specimens, and flower abundanfly during the 
dull months of winter. 
With respect to soil, the Luculia is not difficult to accommodate. 
For its pot culture, I use about one-half turfy peat, and one-half light 
