Page:The Amateur's Greenhouse and Conservatory.djvu/167

Rh have satisfactory results when the plants are kept starving in the same put for several years and not pruned, shift them in the spring, and after they are well rooted water alternately with weak liquid manure. After they go out of bloom keep them rather dry at the roots for a short time, and then prune all the young shoots back to within two buds of the old wood. As the season will be advanced, assist them to start into growth quickly with the aid of a mild bottom-heat and the temperature of an intermediate house. To prevent the flowers been hidden with foliage, as is frequently the case, remove the shoots which start just below the flower-buds as soon as they begin to push. Besides hiding the flowers, they deprive them of a considerable share of support, and their removal is therefore of considerable importance. Good turfy loam three parts, peat one part, and well-decayed manure or leaf-mould one part, form a suitable compost.

.These deserve all the attention necessary to produce good plants. They may be propagated by means of cuttings when the new growth is partly ripe, but they are difficult to increase. Shift such as require that attention early in the spring, and after the flowers have faded place them out of doors to mature the young growth. The most suitable compost is prepared by mixing together three parts peat, one part loam, and half a part of silver sand.

.There is nothing special in the cultivation of these interesting plants. They require sandy peat as a compost, well-drained pots, and a light and airy position in the greenhouse. They may be placed in the open air during the summer.

.A small group of white flowering shrubs nearly hardy, and therefore valuable for cool houses. The soil should be sandy loam full of fibre or good peat. The best are S. multiplex, bearing double flowers, and S. ftida foliis aureo-marginata, which is a very pretty plant in spite of its elongated name. These are well adapted for planting out in a border in an unheated conservatory, as they grow freely and take care of themselves. They are neat and lively plants, though not showy.