114 
SELECTION OF BIENNIALS. 
Capsicums should be potted in a good rich loam, mixed with about 
one quarter of peat, and one quarter of rotten horse-dung. Balsams 
attain to greater perfection, if grown by themselves, under the fol¬ 
lowing treatment, where there are plenty of frames, and one can be 
spared until towards the end of May: the superior show of flowers 
that would be obtained, might probably more than repay for the ex¬ 
tra trouble and sacrifice. As soon as the plants are fit to remove 
from the seedling pots, make up a bed of good liorse-dung, about 
three feet thick, and after allowing it to settle a few days, lay about 
six inches of rotten bark on it. Then transplant the balsams singly 
into sixty-sized pots, filled with a mixture, of half light sandy loam, 
one quarter of peat, and one quarter of rotten dung; plunge the pots 
up to the rim in the bark, and allow a considerable portion of air, 
by propping up the glasses; shift them into larger pots as often as 
they require it, each time diminishing the quantity of peat and ad¬ 
ding more rich loam, so that at the last potting, (which must be just 
after they have shewn flower) the compost is nothing more than 
three quarters of rich strong loam, and one quarter of good rotten 
dung, give them occasional waterings with liquid sheep manure, and 
keep a constant brisk heat to their roots until the time they are re¬ 
moved. As the season advances and the plants grow, give a propor¬ 
tionable increase of air, until the beginning of May, the glasses may 
then be entirely taken off during the day, and merely put on at night 
to preserve them from frost. By this mode of treatment, a very great 
number of blossom buds are produced; it will, therefore, be neces¬ 
sary to thin out the weakest as soon as they are formed. If these 
rules are attended to, and the sort be good, a most splendid show of 
rich coloured, large double blossoms may be anticipated. We do 
not wish to convey an idea, that balsams will not grow and flower 
well under different treatment. We are satisfied they may be 
brought to flower very well with the common treatment of green¬ 
house annuals, and perhaps their stems may exceed in size, those 
grown in the manner we have recommended; but the blossoms will 
be both inferior in colour, and in many cases scarcely double, al¬ 
though the sort under other treatment might have proved a very ex¬ 
cellent one. 
SELECTION OF CHOICE BIENNIALS. 
Those marked with a Star , are very elegant. 
SCARLET AND RED. 
Three Inches. 
Erythrcea aggregata. 
One foot. 
Dianthus chinensis. 
Two feet. 
* Ipomopsis elegans. 
Four feet. 
* Hedysarum coronarium. 
