MARCH. 
47 
the plant is naturally tall and straggling ; a great many of them, if in small 
pots, may be grown in a small space in consequence. No fear need be entertained 
of their failing to flower in their season. They generally do so abundantly, and 
every one who is acquainted with this flower knows how effective it is for 
bouquets, or in vases for the sideboard or dinner table. 
My object, however, is not to show what amount of ill-treatment this plant 
is capable of enduring, although, alas! it often has to endure much, and often 
bears up bravely under it. Nor do I pretend to teach the learned in such 
matters, but simply to show how I have grown decent-looking plants fit for 
decorating the conservatory, the drawing-room, or the dinner table. 
In order to grow a good specimen, I take a one-year-old plant which has 
done flowering in about the latter end of April, it will then require about two 
months’ rest in a warm greenhouse, or a vinery or pit, with an average tem¬ 
perature of 55°, then gradually inure it to an average temperature of 70^. 
It may be cut into a good form, which the grower should be the best judge of; 
it will soon break, and may be turned out of the pot, the old fibres and some of 
the old soil removed, the plant then potted into a clean pot of about the same 
size, using good drainage, and a soil composed of equal portions of peat and 
loam, with just enough sand to make it porous. The soil I consider best to be 
rough and rather turfy. The plant may be kept in the same temperature—that 
is, about 70°, or it may be a few degrees higher. If the plant does well it will fill 
out that pot with new fibres in three weeks, and may then be potted on into one 
two sizes larger, using the same kind of soil. As it fills out the pot with roots, 
it may be potted on or not, according to convenience. I consider a 10-inch pot 
large enough for a good specimen, but a yet larger and better may be grown in 
a 12 or 13-inch pot. The size of the pot, however, is a matter of convenience, 
always bearing in mind that when the pot becomes crowded with roots, the 
plant cannot, and does not derive sufficient nourishment from the soil therein 
to keep it in full growth and vigour; that must be supplied in the form of 
liquid manure, and that again must be applied in a judicious manner, and not 
at all before the plant has received its last shift, and has filled out the pot with 
roots. This is of some importance in cultivating this plant, which grows 
vigorously when it has good soil and plenty of root room, or supposing it is 
limited in room, the deficiency is supplied by liquid manure; but in order that 
this may be effective, it should be ascertained that the roots are in vigorous 
action, and that they have very nearly traversed the whole of the soil in which 
the plant is growing. 
When this is known to be the case, a little stimulus may be given in the 
form of liquid manure, very weak indeed, but slightly coloured, and of course 
the strength may be increased after a week or a fortnight, and may be con¬ 
tinued until the plant is in full bloom, and then gradually discontinued. 
While the plant is growing, it will require stopping rather frequently, or 
about four, five, or six times, according to what the plant might have been, or 
what it is desired to make it. A plant well grown in this manner attains a 
beautiful fountain-like habit, and requires neither stick nor tie, and as unlike 
the twisted contorted specimens I have sometimes seen as well could be 
imagined. A plant so grown, however, requires much room to show it off to 
advantage. 
Smaller plants are, however, often desirable, and may be grown either by 
keeping the plants in smaller pots, or what I think better, to grow them from 
’’cuttings of the previous autumn. I have struck the cuttings late in the year, 
kept them in the cutting-pots all the winter, potted them off in March, and 
grown very neat plants in eight-inch pots, about 18 inches high, with the same 
fountain-like habit, which I consider the best adapted to the peculiar growth of 
