November 21. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
141 
all over of this bronzy-green colour. The flowers are 
produced at the ends of the stronger shoots, in spikes, 
the lower part of which is mixed with small leaves, 
which leaves set off the whitish-pink flowers to great 
advantage. When well grown, and freely bloomed, fow 
plants surpass it in beauty. 
Soil. —The first thing to look for to succeed iu growing 
this plant is the right soil, or compost. Procure some 
good turfy heath-mould, full of fibrous roots; chop it 
into inch square pieces, then, with the hand, break these 
pieces into four; mind, break, not chop them; then 
throw a quantity of fine silver-sand over the heap; lift 
it up by handfuls, mixing the sand thoroughly with the 
little lumps, till the whole appears almost white with 
the sand. Then procure some turfy loam, and mix it 
also with the sand; and, lastly, a small quantity of 
leaf-mould, and put it through the same process. Then 
mix them all together in the following proportions— 
throe parts, or say pecks, of the prepared heath-mould, 
one pock of the turfy loam, aud half-a-peck of leaf- 
mould ; mix the whole woll, but gently, togethor, and it 
will form an open mass, in which any New Holland 
plant will thrive, if all other points of culture are pro¬ 
perly attended to. 
Potting. —Having procured as healthy a plant as 
possible from the nursery, about the month of March, 
proceed to repot it. The plant 1 would choose should 
be a bushy, healthy one, about four or five inches high, 
growing in a 4^-inoh pot. I prefer this size to one 
either less or larger, unless a specimen plant is wanted 
at once. A plant of the abovo size will cost about five 
or six shillings. 
Choose a nice, clean, handsome-shaped pot, from six 
to seven inches wide, and proceed to drain it well. This 
is an important point in culture; for if the soil is not 
well drained of all superfluous moisture, the plant will 
undoubtedly become sickly, and without groat care will 
perish. If the hole at the bottom of the pot is small, 
make it larger, by gently breaking off pieces all round. 
It should be as large as a shilling. Cover this hole 
with a larger piece of roundish broken pot, and cover 
this with somo smaller pieces, till you cannot see it, 
then, upon them, place nearly half-an-inch of clean pot¬ 
sherds—by clean, I moan, that all the dust should be 
sifted out of them. When this is done, pick out a few 
lumps from amongst the compost, and lay them com¬ 
pactly upon the drainage; this will keep the drainage 
from becoming choked by the finer particles of the 
compost; then put as much of the soil into the pot as 
will raise the ball just lovel with the rim. All this being 
done, then turn the plant out of the pot, preserving the 
ball entire; rub off gently the old surface-soil as far as 
the roots, hut be careful not to break or bruise them; 
also gently pick out the old drainage, as far as may be 
safely done without disturbing or injuring the roots, 
which, in a healthy plant, will be very numerous here. 
: Should there bo any worms, or even only one, in or about 
1 the hall, uow is a good time to eject them. Then set the 
ball exactly in the middle of the prepared pot, and fill 
in with the fresh compost around it, pressing it down 
while the operation is going on with a round flat-ended 
stick. You can see to do this well, better with such a stick 
than with the fingers. Make the compost firm, but by no 
means hard; for if it is made very solid, like ramming 
a post, neither the roots nor yet the water can penetrate 
it. It may bo proper for Geraniums, and other strong¬ 
rooting, vigorous plants to make the soil as firm as 
possible, but all fine-rooted plants should have the soil 
only moderately firm. 
When the pot is quite full of the compost, so that the 
old ball is covered about half-an-inch, then give the pot 
two or three smart strokes on the potting-bench, which 
will settle the soil down into the pot, leaving half-an-inch 
| below the rim to hold water. If this shaking will not 
do this, then scrape off as much soil as will leave that ■ 
space. The potting is then finishod, and then give a 
gentle watering, and place the plant in the greenhouse. 
This potting operation may appear a tedious one; but, 
the fact is, it takes a longer timo to read than to perform, 
if all things are in readiness. 
I have directed this work to be done in March, 
because, at that time of the year, there is the least 
excitement both in the plant and the weather. The 
sun has not then so much power, aud, therefore, less 
shade will bo necessary. By potting thus early, the 
energies of the plant will be gradually excited, the roots 
will make some progress before the top begins to grow,— 
a most important point in the economy of progress in 
the plant. A plant of any kind, whether in-doors or in 
the open air, always removes best when at rest. Hence 
the best planters plant evergreons iu September and 
October, aud deciduous plants as soon as the leaf falls. 
There is this difference in evergreen plants in pots; if 
potted in the autumn, the uow soil is in danger of 
becoming saturated with water, or, at least, the nutritious 
properties of the soil will be partially washed out of it 
by the necessary waterings it received through the 
winter, however carefully that element may be given. 
Summer Management. —1 consider the summer of 
greenhouso plants to commence in April, because then 
the plants begin to grow freely. The Acrophyllum 
venoswm will then he pushing, and would be greatly 
benefited by a fow more degrees of heat than many of 
the greenhouse plants require. Whoover has a Peach- 
house, or even a Vinery, just starting into growth, would 
find such a house just the place for his young specimens. 
The roots havo made somo progress, and, therefore, the 
top may bo encouraged by a more liberal temperature; 
only let the transition be gradual. Place the plant 
within afoot of the glass, and observe that it has a 
sufficient supply of water. As the sun attains more 
power, a thin shading will be necessary from eleven 
o’clock till two; but this shading must by no means be 
overdone, or the plant will be too much drawn. Air 
must also be given, to harden the wood as it progresses. 
In this position it may remain till the middle of May. 
Watch its growth, aud as soon as the shoots have grown 
two or three inches, nip off the tops, to induce them to 
break into several branches, and thus form a bushy 
plant. 
At the time above specified it may be removed into 
the greenhouse, the weather will then be sufficiently 
warm to warrant the continuing growth ; only take the 
precaution to place it in such a situation that no 
draughts of cold air will rush through it. It is these 
draughts that check the growth, and discolour the foliage 
of many of our more dolieate New Holland plants. 
At this time of removal, the plant may conveniently 
he tied out; that is, neat, small sticks may be thrust 
into the soil, leaning outwards, and the outside branches 
brought down and tied to them; thus giving more room 
to the central branches, and more air to the leaves of 
the plant generally. As this plant has a tendency to 
grow upright, this training process is the more ne¬ 
cessary. 
If the growth is rapid and satisfactory, a second pot¬ 
ting in June may be desirable; but then great care must 
be taken not to shake or disarrange the ball iu the least. 
Even the drainage, or, at least, all of it that adheres to ' 
the roots, must be kept entire. Repot into a pot two j 
or two-and-a-half inches wider, usiug all the same pre- j 
cautions as to draining, shading, &c., as I have recoin- j 
mended for the spring potting. This is, however, only \ 
to bo practised when the plant has made very free 
growth, and is evidently short of pot room. 
As tlie season advances, the plant may be more ex- I 
posed to the full air and summer’s sun, to harden and 
mature the wood. Keep it in the greenhouse all the 
