8G 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
May 0. 
numerous, and fleshy, very much resembling the roots of 
asparagus : hence, in propagating them, there is sure to 
he some roots destroyed by the operation of separating a 
piece off for the purpose of increasing them. For this 
reason moderate-sized plants are the best to divide. A 
nurseryman, to be sure, who has a large plant, will not 
scruple to break it up entirely at the potting time, and 
make several plants of it: there is this comfort, the 
divisions are almost sure to grow. The amateur, how¬ 
ever, does not need to be so savage ; he may wish only 
to have two or three plants, either for the purpose of 
growing them, or exchanging. Let him, then, not spoil 
his fine specimen plant, but only, on the most conve¬ 
nient side, cut out a small division with two or three 
living shoots, preserving as many roots uninjured as 
possible; put this division into a suitable-sized pot, in 
the right compost, and place it in the stove-house, give 
moderate supplies of water until fresh roots and shoots 
appear, when they may be treated like their parents in 
e very respect. 
Sophronites. —The large-flowered species of this genus 
is a real gem, even amongst orchids, and like most other 
choice small-growing species, is difficult and slow to 
increase. The only way to propagate it is to wait till 
two leading shoots are naturally formed and then 
severally dividing them, and thus forming two plants 
instead of one. Fasten these to naked blocks, and treat 
them like established plants. 
Stanhopeas. —A large family of free-flowering desir¬ 
able plants, perhaps more easily increased, and brought 
into a flowering state in a short time, than any other. 
They are peculiarly suited for new beginners on that 
account. Sir Joseph Paxton gives a luminous and 
useful account of the manner in which a single bulb 
was treated at Chatsworth, which, for the benefit of our 
readers, we shall take the liberty of quoting:— 
“ On the 20th of May I received a small damaged 
plant of a new Stanhopea; I allowed it to get perfectly 
dry; it was then potted, and placed in a strong bottom- 
heat, with a strong heat above ; the plant began to grow 
in about a fortnight, and at the end of July had per¬ 
fected a new small bulb; the plant was then kept dry 
for about a fortnight, and was again placed in a strong 
bottom-heat, and in a temperature never lower than 70°, 
but often amounting, in the day, to from 00° to 100°. 
By the end of September it had perfected a second 
bulb, considerably larger than the first. The plant was 
again dried on a hot flue for a fortnight, and was 
removed into a larger pot, and elevated a little above 
the surface ; it was again re-plunged into a strong 
bottom-heat, and by the end of December had perfected 
two more bulbs, making four since the commencement. 
I should here observe the plant had but one bulb when 
it was received; the plant was then dried for a month, 
then repotted, and placed, as before, in a strong heat. 
About the first week in April the plant had made two 
more perfect hulbs; the process of drying was again 
gone through, and afterwards it was placed again in a 
strong beat; it has on it now, August 31st, nine bulbs, 
made in the short space of fifteen months. This plant 
was cultivated with a number of other small ones, in a 
house that could be kept very hot.” 
Such is the very graphic and minute account of a 
successful experiment; and, though every one has not 
such means at command as Sir J oseph Faxton had, yet 
the process may, in a degree, be imitated by placing 
such small divisions, whilst they are growing, under a 
handlight placed upon a warm flue, and having the pots 
surrounded with moss, which should be kept moist. In 
this manner we have got many a difficult plant to grow 
that otherwise would, we fear, have perished. 
T. Appleby. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
Cineraria (J. R .).—The two pips you sent us are 
decidedly the best flowers we have seen this season. 
Petals broad, stout, well overlapping, notch nearly ob¬ 
literated; colour beautiful carmine, with small white 
claws; centre purple. 
Cinerarias (G. Bancroft ).•—All the cinerarias you 
sent are pretty, but none sufficiently novel or good to 
deserve naming, except No. 5; white, with bright blue 
tips. Other questions next week. 
CULTURE OF ROSES IN POTS FOR 
EXHIBITION. 
( Continued, from page 00 .) 
Potttng. —In our last number was a selection of roses 
to be grown in pots for exhibition. It comprises 
varieties, that by forcing and retarding may be brought 
to the exhibition tent from May to September, but the 
potting season for them all, at whatever time they are 
to bloom, is early in October. 
It is well known that roses are propagated both by 
budding and by cuttings. The best kind of stock for 
the budded varieties, to grow in pots, as has been said 
before, is the Manettii, and for this reason, that this rose 
does not send up suckers if the low buds are rubbed off 
before the cuttings of the stock are put in. Not but that 
those worked upon the wild rose will grow well enough 
in pots, but at the time of potting the stems below 
ground should be diligently examined, and every bud 
likely to produce a sucker rubbed off close to the stem, 
i as well as the suckers already produced. Even those on 
their own roots should have every sucker destroyed. 
Drain the pots moderately well and proportion their 
size to that of the plants. In general, to bloom the 
j rose well, requires larger pots than for most other plants. 
, Then, some discretion must be used as to the kind of 
plants selected for this purpose. The budded plants 
should be what is called “dwarf-worked;” that is, the 
stem between the soil and the bud or graft should 
never be longer or higher than nine inches, or at the 
most, a foot. The shoots, too, should not be long and 
straggling, but short, stout, not too thickly placed, and 
as well ripened as possible. Let these points be attended 
to in choosing the plants from the nursery, and there 
will be the greater probability of success. 
In the operation of potting, prune off any roots that 
may have been broken or bruised with taking them up 
out of the nursery rows. Then open the roots from each 
other, and spread them equally on every side amongst 
the soil, covering the highest layer about one inch, and 
leaving about half-an-inch below the rim of the pots. 
This space will hold water sufficient, when it is most 
needed, to wet the entire ball of earth quite through. 
After the potting is finished, place the plants in the cold 
pit, syringe them frequently, and keep them close, 
shading from bright midday sun. This will keep the 
wood fresh and plump, and new roots will soon be made. 
As soon as this is judged to have taken place, give them 
plenty of air, and draw off the lights every fine dry day. 
The tender kinds would pass the winter more securely 
in the pit, but the hardy ones should be removed out of 
it, and plunged in a bed of coal-aslies, there to remain 
till the time arrives to start them into growth. Though 
they will flower moderately well even the season after 
potting from the nursery-bed, yet the best season for 
bloom will be the second year. On that account, it is 
desirable to pot the first year nearly double the number 
that may be required for exhibition, unless the cultivator 
has patience to wait one year before commencing to 
grow his plants for the exhibition table. 
Pruning. —This is one of the most important opera 
