12 
THE FLORIST’S JOURNAL. 
this situation I have seen it one of the most beautiful objects 
easily conceived. It requires a rich loam of an open texture, 
and to be planted in the border of the house. The earth about 
the roots of plants so placed, should be renewed every season 
with loam and well-rotted manure, perfectly incorporated. The 
plant should be allowed to have a good rest in the early spring 
months, at which time it should be pruned back pretty close. 
It will begin to push new shoots in April; these must be 
carefully tied in their respective places, or by pushing against 
the glass they are frequently broken ; all superfluous shoots 
should be removed; in short, the knife should be freely used 
during the whole of the growing season. By the end of June it 
will begin to produce its rich dark crimson blossoms, when it 
must be shaded from the sun, or the flowers lose their brilliancy, 
and their duration is materially shortened : it is propagated, 
though with some difficulty, by cuttings. The easiest mode is 
by grafting on stocks of I. insignis. To increase it by cuttings, 
choose young wood, pretty firm at the base ; take them off when 
about three inches long, square the bottom end, without shorten¬ 
ing or cutting more of the leaves off than can be avoided ; pot 
them in fine silver-sand, and cover them with a bell or hand¬ 
glass ; this must be wiped every day : they require a brisk bottom 
heat. The method of grafting is a curious operation ; it is done 
by cutting off a strong root of Ipomea insignis, and a growing 
shoot of the plant under consideration, and joining them together 
with a cleft-graft; this must be done neatly ; plunge them in brisk 
bottom heat, cover them with a hand-light, and keep them con¬ 
stantly shaded. They require, with the same attention as for 
cuttings, about a month to unite, when they may be hardened off, 
and subjected to the same treatment as for mature plants. 
I. insignis is of very easy culture, and admirably suited for a 
greenhouse climber. It is of very rapid growth, and bears a 
profusion of large deep lilac flowers. It requires a good bed of 
rich loam, which must be drained with a stratum of coarse gravel 
or scoriae. This requires all the sun it can get. It may be 
readily increased from cuttings taken off at a joint, and planted 
(without shortening) in a mixture of peat and sand in equal parts, 
to be covered with a small bell-glass, the size of the pot, and 
plunged in a bark bed. These require about three weeks to 
strike, when they should be potted in a mixture of two-thirds 
