62 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
whether any bruises, which might have been received in the course of im¬ 
portation, are so serious as to induce decay when they are brought in con¬ 
tact with moisture. If any such cases are perceived, all the damaged parts 
should be removed by cutting them away with a knife, placing the tuber so 
injured in a drier atmosphere for a few hours, in order to assist the wound 
in healing over. After this, they may all be potted with greater safety than 
previously. For this purpose procure some stiff clayey yellow loam, to 
which add a little silver sand. Use five-inch pots (48’s), placing one good 
crock over the drainage-hole, and upon this a thin layer of old well-rotted 
cowdung. Put one tuber only in each pot, having first filled the pot as 
firmly as possibly with the soil above named, and formed a cavity in the 
centre, to hold some silver sand, in which the tuber is to be set, burying it 
to half its depth, and finishing off by ramming the whole together as 
firmly as possible with the hands. 
When they are all potted place them in any warm situation, the moister 
the atmosphere the better. The position which I have found best for them, 
is in a single row close up to the woodwork at the back of a Cucumber or 
Melon-bed formed exclusively of fermenting materials. Here, fully exposed 
to the sun, and with a high maximum temperature, they root readily and 
grow freely. In such a position, do not give any water whatever until they 
have freely started, and then apply it very sparingly for a time. Should it 
be necessary to place them in a drier position over pipes or a flue, and where, 
the atmosphere and surroundings being drier, they may be likely to become 
unnaturally dry before the process of vegetating takes place, they should 
be slightly moistened by dipping the whole of the exterior surface of the 
pot in water for a few seconds occasionally. 
When they are once fairly started they must be watered copiously for a 
few weeks, moistening the leaves well each time. Continue this treatment 
until the leaves are 12 or 14 inches in length, when, if any do not show 
signs of throwing up a flower-spike, withhold water wholly all at once, 
letting the ball become quite dry, but moistening the leaves occasionally to 
ward off red spider. The moment flower-spikes are observable copious 
waterings should again be resorted to; and if, at alternate root-waterings, 
diluted manure water is used, it will be all the better for them. Keep them 
as near the glass as possible, with abundance of air, until the first flower- 
bud is to be seen, when it may not be disadvantageous to draw them out in 
length. They keep longer in bloom if placed in a cool greenhouse whilst 
opening their flowers; these will expand in any ordinary sitting-room, and 
keep well in water either cut or otherwise. 
Digsivell. William Earley. 
ON THE USE OF BASKET BLANTS. 
What a happy idea it was to grow plants in baskets ! What a charm¬ 
ing change from the stiffness and everlasting monotony of pots ! What a 
relief to look up to slender and delicate beauty«„instead of having to stoop 
lower and yet lower down to fondle and admire it! And then how the 
plants must exult in their freedom from stakes! How elegantly they arrange 
themselves in the wantonness of their new-found liberty ! What lines of 
graceful beauty they describe for us ! They have stooped to conquer, fallen 
to rise, “ humbled themselves that they might be exalted thus inculcating 
one of the highest moral lessons'—that in the long run humble worth will 
have its reward. As often happens, however, the reward, in the case of 
