ON THE CULTIVATION OF CHOBIZEMA. 
123 
cuttings should be inserted. All round the edge of the pot should 
be left as much room as will admit of a bell-glass being put on. 
They should be gently watered over-head before the glass is put 
on ; they then should be placed in a gentle bottom heat, and the 
glasses dried every morning so as to prevent any damp lying 
about the plant. A little water should be given to them when 
they want it; great care should be taken with the shading of 
them, for if the sun touch them they will not recover it soon ; the 
cuttings will strike in a short time, and when they are well rooted 
they should be potted off immediately into thumb-pots, and shifted 
as often as they require it, so that the plants never become 
stunted. 
If care be bestowed upon this genus, it will repay the little trouble 
that is taken with it by a fine show of flowers. Where this tribe 
of plants is grown, as little fire as possible should be used, as 
they do not like artificial heat; but they would frequently 
do much better if they were kept dry and without fire for the 
most part of winter, and only a little used when the frost was 
severe. They are pretty hardy when kept rather dry ; it is 
when the soil is wet that the frost hurts them, therefore when 
they want water, it is better to give the water early in the day, so 
that it may be dried off by night. In the spring, when the plants 
begin to grow, the house or pit in which they are grown should 
be kept rather close and warm, that they may get a good start, 
and that they may be enabled to make their growth as early as 
possible, so that their wood may be well ripened before winter. 
When the wood is well ripened in the autumn, a good show of 
flowers may be depended upon the following spring and summer. 
That the plants may be kept in good health, and without much 
fire heat, or rather without any, the water used for watering should 
be as near the temperature of the house in which they are grown 
as possible, or rather above than below it ; for if they are watered 
with very cold water it is apt to chill the roots, and give a check 
to the plants, which they will not easily recover. 
The species belonging to this genus are not very numerous, 
but all very beautiful, and well worth the greatest care and 
attention that can be given to them. I shall therefore enumerate 
all the species that I am acquainted with, which I think will be 
valuable to some, if not to others. I shall begin with the first one 
figured :— 
