JULY. 
145 
shaken out and repotted singly into six or seven-inch pots (where more than one 
is wanted, the size must be regulated according to the number), using rich fibrous 
peat, with about one-third leaf-mould and silver sand intermixed. After pot¬ 
ting, remove to the warmest part of the house, and plunge in a bottom heat of 
about 70°, where they will soon begin to produce new leaves, and must then 
be abundantly supplied with water. As they advance in growth, great care 
must also be taken to keep the atmosphere of the house charged with moisture, 
in order to promote the full development of the foliage and maturity of the 
bulbs, for on this point chiefly depends success in flowering. When the 
plants have arrived at this stage they should be removed to an intermediate- 
house for some time, and be finally introduced into a brisk heat, when they will 
produce their beautiful flower-scapes in abundance, and amply repay the 
cultivator for the care and attention that has been bestowed on them. The 
remainder of the bulbs should be started in rotation and treated in a similar 
manner, and by these means a constant succession of flowering plants may be 
had the whole season. It also succeeds well when planted out in a stove along 
with Ferns, Begonias, and other ornamental-foliaged plants. A few years ago I 
had occasion to plant a large specimen in this manner in the month of February, 
and towards the end of July it produced seventeen stems, on which I counted 
at one time upwards of fifty fully expanded flowers. I need scarcely say it was 
admired by all who saw it. Propagation may be easily effected by means of 
offsets, which are produced abundantly. 
J. T .—(West of Scotland Horticultural Magazine.') 
CULTURE OF THE PEACH AND NECTARINE. 
(Concluded from page 122.) 
Well-managed trees should never present a crowded appearance of shoots 
in summer, and no part of the tree should have any shoots stronger than the 
rest; should any such appear their vigour should be arrested by stopping, though 
I always consider that a misfortune. I like to see every young shoot of 
equal strength. A young shoot in the right place may appear in early summer 
weak and unpromising; but, if all the rest that are useless are removed, the 
shoots in the right place will quickly gain strength. Let the cultivator never 
run away with the idea, that by retaining a greater number of young shoots 
he is thereby multiplying the chances of having fruitful branches. It is often 
a fatal and always a mistaken notion. Adhere to the rule, that a few shoots 
well ripened are far more sure to produce good fruit than when a larger number 
are crowded in between the main branches. Should any of the trees grow too 
strong, and make long watery shoots, the best way to check such is to lift the 
trees early in the autumn and replant them ; that will be sure to moderate their 
growth and cause them to produce more kindly wood. In performing this 
operation, great care must be taken not to injure or mutilate the roots. Open 
a trench at the very extremity of the roots and undermine them carefully, pick¬ 
ing out the soil from amongst them with a three-pronged fork; replant the 
tree immediately exactly the same depth it was before, unless by some means 
or other too much soil had accumulated above the roots; then plant them 
shallower—that is, cover the roots with a less thickness of soil. 
Nailing. —Where this mode of fastening the branches to the wall is fol¬ 
lowed, the operator must be exceedingly careful not to wound them with the 
hammer-head. Sometimes the hammer will slip off the nail-head and hit the 
branch instead, abrasing the bark at least, and thereby often bringing on a 
h 2 
