Page:The Amateur's Greenhouse and Conservatory.djvu/80

74 After the pots are filled with roots, water with liquid manure, if convenient to do so; but if not, be content with watering with clear soft water. They must not, under any consideration, be allowed to suffer for want of water, and in dry weather an occasional sprinkle overhead will be of immense benefit. They should be taken to the conservatory as soon as they begin to show colour, and placed in an airy, open position, if practicable.

The best for pot culture are the varieties of the Dwarf Chrysanthemum-flowered and Pony-flowered, which seldom exceed a height of twelve inches, and require little or no support. The most distinct varieties are those with rose, carmine, violet, and pure white flowers.

.&mdash;The well-known Astilbe Japonica, which is, perhaps, better known as “Spira Japonica,” is eminently valuable to furnish greenhouse flowers early in the spring, though it is a cheap hardy herbaceous plant. When forced slowly in a damp pit, close to the glass, it is one of the loveliest plants in the world, and well worthy to be made a feature of in any private garden where beautiful plants are valued by some other scale than their money value in the market. They should be potted in September or October, in a mixture of turfy loam, leaf mould, decayed manure, and sand, and started in a temperature of about 55°. From this allow the temperature to rise gradually to 75°. They should be supplied liberally with water when growing freely, and may be placed in pans of water to advantage. It is a matter of no consequence what sized pot is employed, but for ordinary decorative purposes five-, six-, and eight-inch pots will be most serviceable; the two former for the drawing-room jardinets, and the latter for the conservatory. Strong clumps ready for forcing may be purchased at nurseries and seed-houses, those who prefer growing them for forcing in after years may do so with but little trouble. Early in May or June they may be planted out in an open quarter previously well prepared for their reception. They should have two or three liberal waterings and a mulch of short litter, or partly decayed leaves, placed between the rows, if it can be spared. They will then require no other attention, and by the autumn will have formed strong crowns and be in grand condition for forcing. If considered desirable, they may be divided into single crowns in May, each of which