October 16. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
37 
beginning to grow. When that takes place, lift off the 
glasses every morning for an hour or two, for a week, to 
give fresh air and strengthen the shoots. Then pot 
them off into very small pots, and replace them under 
the hand-light for a short time, till fresh roots are made, 
and then inure them gradually to bear full exposure to 
air, light, and sun. 
Soil. —These plants have fine fibrous roots, and there¬ 
fore require a light, hut not too rich soil. A compost 
formed of light loam, peat, and leaf-mould, in equal 
parts, with a due proportion of sand, we have found to 
grow them satisfactorily. 
Summer Treatment. —Pot the young plants in March, 
and again in July. Older specimens will not require 
the latter potting, a top-dressing in September will he 
all they need. The heat they require may be deno¬ 
minated moderate for a stove shrub. They will thrive 
in a temperature where an Ixora would starve. After 
they have bloomed, they would be benefitted by a 
month’s exposure in the open air in some warm sunny 
nook, due care being given in supplying them with a 
sufficiency of water; here they will acquire a hardiness 
of constitution that will carry them through the dark 
days of winter unscathed. There are several stove 
plants of hard woody character, like this Elcocarp, that 
would he better for a month’s summering out-of-doors, 
provided the situation where they are placed is sheltered 
from cold, heavy winds, or draughts of air, caused by a 
too close proximity to buildings. 
Winter Treatment. —This is simple. All that is re¬ 
quired is a lower temperature, and a less quantity of 
water at the root, together with a much drier atmosphere 
in the air of the house. Like most of the inhabitants 
of the stove, this plant loves light, and more especially 
light in winter; place it, therefore, in a favourable 
position to receive its due share. 
Insects. —This plant is a remarkably clean one, very 
few, if any, insects affect it. The red spider will make 
an habitation amongst its leaves, if there are any plants 
in its neighbourhood infected with it. The usual remedy 
must be immediately applied, namely, the sponge dipped 
in tepid water, and every leaf minutely and diligently 
washed with it, not forgetting the buds and stems also. 
Other insects, such as the mealy bug, and the different 
sorts of scale, will attack this plant, also, in a foul house, 
and may be got rid of by the same means; but as we 
trust that all the readers of The Cottage Gardener 
are cleaner in their plant-houses, we will not suppose 
such a thing as a foul stove possible. T. Appleby. 
FLORISTS' FLOWERS. 
MR. GLENNY ON FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
Fuchsias (Mr. Epps). —Bright scarlet, brighter, per¬ 
haps, than any other, without being anything extra¬ 
ordinary in form, will do. Although we have many good 
dark fuchsias there will be room for this. The corolla 
forms a good contrast, and the sepals reflex just enough 
to show it off to advantage. Why has it no name ? Call 
it Fire King. ( A.M .)—Not so good as old Corymbiflora. 
Great Western; we noticed this at the show. It is 
certainly the largest of all the pale varieties by a good 
deal, and, therefore, will be a most remarkable plant in 
collections. ( M. D. L.) — No. 1 is too much like 
Ricartonii, if it be not it; and No. 2 is not so good as 
Globosa major ; neither of them can be useful. (J. J., 
Birmingham). —No. 3 is the only one of the whole lot 
worth even trying to grow, and, unless the pale part will 
come lighter, it may be thrown away. 
Dahlias (T., Roehampton). —Yellow dahlia, an average 
flower, no better than half-a-dozen we already possess. 
No. 2, creamy white, is of good general form, and well 
up in the middle, the inside of the petals yellowish 
gives it a very novel appearance, and the outline is 
better than average. If it be uncertain, let it out cheaper, 
that people may afford to buy pairs. 
Styphelias (A'. Y.) — The Styphelia tribe have all 
star flowers. The bloom sent is one of the largest; but 
for the fetid smell they would, doubtless, be generally 
grown, for they give little trouble. 
Hollyhock (A. D.). — Queen of the Mottles, no use 
whatever; there are fifty better thrown away this year 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS CULTURE. 
The Pink. —At page 402 an essay on the culture of 
this elegant and fragrant flower was commenced, and we 
shall this week resume it. Soil and situation were pretty 
fully considered in that place, and 
Propagation is the next part of the subject. There 
are three ways in which the pink may be propagated: 
first, by seed ; second, by pipings; and third, by layers. 
By Seed. —It is only by seed that new varieties can 
be obtained. In order to make something like a cer¬ 
tainty in obtaining superior kinds, great care shoidd be 
bestowed upon selecting the kinds to save seed from. 
We cannot, or ought not to, expect good flowers, if the 
seed is gathered from any that will produce it. Generally 
speaking, the most free seed-producers, are the worst 
breeders of what we florists term good flowers. In 
truth, we shall find that the single-flowered varieties 
produce the best and greatest quantity of seed, so far as 
mere increase is at issue; but though even a florist 
would say that a single-flowered pink was pretty in one 
sense, yet he would condemn it as utterly useless to him 
as a flower to be cultivated, and would, most certainly, 
send it to the dunghill as soon as its flower opened; a 
sad want of taste, the mere lover of flowers would say; 
but it is to such determination of tolerating no flowers 
but such as have certain properties, or forms, and 
arrangement of colours, that we possess so great a 
number of beautiful varieties of the pink, which even 
the botanist, as well as the admirer of Flora, is 
compelled to admit are exceedingly handsome, and 
improvements upon the small pink as it is found 
in its native wilds. To our amateurs and cottagers, 
as well as florists, we say, raise seedlings every year. 
We are far from perfection as yet, and the humblest 
amongst us, the poorest cottager, may raise seedlings 
quite as well, and as good too, as the most scien¬ 
tific florist; the grand point in the business being 
attended to properly, that is, the selecting the best 
flowers from which to save the seed. Now, the most 
double flowers, as might be expected, do not produce 
seed, in fact, if they are quite double, they cannot seed 
at all, because the productive organs of the plant are 
converted into flower-leaves. Seed must then be looked 
for in the flowers that are only semi-double, and have 
every good property, such as roundness of form, even- 
edged petals, the lacing or edging even and distinct, in 
laced flowers. In seifs, the centre should be all of an 
uniform colour, and the flower should be of a moderate 
size. The circumference should approach to the size of 
a half-crown at least. From such save seed. In order 
to ripen it, protect it from heavy rain and dew, and pull 
away all decaying petals. We have seen many a fine 
pod of seed moulded to such a degree, as completely to 
destroy the seed, for want of a little shelter. A piece of 
glass with a hole at one side, to fit tight upon a stick 
placed at a right distance over the seed-vessel, is a good 
protection. As soon as the seed is judged to be ripe, let 
it be gathered and separated from the pod, dried mo¬ 
derately, packed in brown paper, and placed in a dry 
drawer in a dry room, till the sowing season. 
This seed so carefully selected and dried, and preserved 
till spring, is so valualde, that its price cannot be esti¬ 
mated. It is quite possible it may produce Pinks of a 
