Page:The Amateur's Greenhouse and Conservatory.djvu/133

Rh this process the roots must be preserved from injury, and as much earth kept about them as possible. When potted, stake them out neatly; shade for a week, and after that keep them in the sunniest part of the greenhouse. If you follow this prescription, their appearance in November will be that of neat shrubs, two feet high and eighteen inches through, completely smothered with bright scarlet berries, full double the size of holly-berries.

.&mdash;The showy plants of this family are better known as bedding than as pot plants and it is much to be regretted that they have declined in popularity as subjects adapted for the production of an abundance of gay flowers in the depths of winter. They are easy plants to manage whether in winter or summer, but being very soft in texture will not endure the slightest touch of frost. They all flower fairly in a temperature of 50°.

The most valuable plant of this genus is the old and famous T. tricolorum, a tuberous rooted species, admirably adapted for exhibition and one of the most perfect of ladies' plants, because



to train it nicely is an agreeable task for delicate fingers. To make a fine specimen the tubers should be taken out of the old soil some time during July and be re-potted. The roots are