SEPTEMBER. 
197 
the result of cultivation. Instead of searching for the cause at home, they 
immediately blame their unfortunate seedsman.” This has been well put, for 
it is a fact that seedsmen are often made the scapegoat for the offences of 
unskilful and careless gardeners, and it is unjust that a good reputation should 
be so slightly valued by them. 
A very famous cultivator of the Balsam, though one scarcely heard of 
beyond the circle of his own locality, adopts the following as his method of 
cultivation, and his results are such as to justify the rules observed. He says, 
“ Fifteen or sixteen weeks before I require the plants in bloom, I fill with 
soil to within half an inch of the tops as many small pots as I require plants, 
I press with my fingers two good seeds into each pot a little apart, and place 
them in a hotbed within a few inches of the glass ; when they have come up 
and have stems above the tops of the pots I draw the weakest plant out and 
fill up to the top of the pot with fine soil around the stem of the young plant, 
which will soon root into the soil. As the plants advance in growth, 1 give 
them a shift into pots a little larger, keeping the ball of the plants well 
down, so as to cover a part of the stem; this will enable the plant to make 
new roots, by which it will receive great benefit. Keep the plants while 
growing in a humid warm atmosphere ; nothing suits them better than a 
manure hotbed, giving them room, and tilting the frame as the plants reach 
the glass.” 
These are the simple principles by which the most important advance is 
made, and by the time this point is gained the plants will soon be ready to 
shift into their blooming-pots. This being done, great care must be taken of 
the lateral shoots so as to insure symmetrical growth. It is usual to tie a piece 
of string or matting round the pot just beneath the rim, to which the lower 
shoots are tied; but the tying process should be done very carefully, and the 
shoots brought down to their place by degrees. The tying material should be 
very soft, as the stems are very tender and are soon injured. 
Pots about 8 or 9 inches in diameter do well for blooming the plants in, 
and the compost should be good loam and an old spent Mushroom-bed in about 
equal proportions, or a third of decayed turf, a third of well-rotted manure, 
and the remainder leaf mould and sand. When the pots become well fdled 
with roots manure water should be applied twice or thrice a-week, but it 
should be carefully diluted. Sheep-droppings are strongly recommended for 
this purpose, and they are easily procurable. A gentle syringing with soft 
water, daily performed, is very beneficial to the plants. Plenty of room and air 
should be given in hot weather, and the plants should on no account be suffered 
to flag for want of water. This can be freely administered in dry weather, 
and light and sunshine are equally indispensable. 
- Careful tving-out should not be confined to the plants intended for exhi¬ 
bition. Gardeners will often bestow great pains on these, while those intended 
for decorating the conservatory are left slovenly and uncared for. Not long 
since I walked through two private gardens to look at the Balsams. In the 
one case the plants were the most striking thing in the conservatory. Well- 
grown, well-bloomed, and carefully tied-out, they were made the most of, and 
did great credit to the gardener. In the other group there were present good 
culture and good quality, but no tasteful eye or artistic hand had made the 
very most of the plants, and they looked worse than they really were. Why 
should not the conservatory be an exhibition also ? Surely the credit to be 
obtained there is as useful at least to the gardener as the many prizes obtained 
elsewhere. 
Balsams have been divided into two classes—the Camellia-flowered, and 
the llose-flowered. The latter were supposed to have their petals more cupped 
