Shirley Hibberd

“ It is best to begin with seed, and to sow it, as soon as ripe, in pans filled with light loamy compost, and then place the pans on a moderate hotbed or shut them up in a propagating house, or put them in a close corner of the greenhouse and cover with a bell-glass. They must be kept constantly moist, and as soon as the plants are fairly up they must be carefully pricked out into boxes or pans, and when they have grown a little be potted separately in sixties. ”

“ Provide some neat green stakes, slender but strong, eighteen inches in length, and tie every shoot, as soon as the bloom is visible, loosely to a stake, as, when the flowers are fully expanded, their weight when wet with a shower will sometimes cause them to fall over and break the stems. ”

“ To raise stock, make cuttings of the young shoots when they are three inches long and growing nicely. Take them off in two-inch lengths and insert in sand, and give them the aid of a steady bottom-heat. A light loamy compost is to be preferred, but the plant will grow in any soil that is neither sour nor pasty. When they acquire some size they may be kept several years in the same pots, and if desirable large plants may be divided by cutting through the roots. ”

“ The plant being very compact and short-jointed, does not need after it is potted to be frequently stopped; the great thing is to get the lower part of the plant well furnished with branches in its first growth. It is in the earlier stages only that the stopping of shoots is essential. It will thrive in good rich loamy soil, and may stand out of doors with the majority of greenhouse plants during the summer months. In common with many other winter flowering plants the Libonia loses its leaves if kept too cold in October and November. ”

“ The stove is its proper house as a pot plant, but the experienced cultivator will turn it to good account, if so minded, without the aid of a stove. In a general way the same cultivation as the verbena requires will suit them, and it is worthy of note that they flower more freely the second year than the first. In any case they like warmth and a humid atmosphere. Well-grown specimens covered with flowers are worthy of a place in any group of ornamental plants, but the odour of the flowers is so unpleasant that they are comparatively useless for making a bouquet. ”

“ As it is quite hardy in the south of England, it needs no heat to keep it in winter. The most ordinary care suffices to ensure an annual display of its elegant white flowers, but if they are wanted early the plant must have a little extra attention. We will suppose you want to secure a good display of deutzias early in the spring. You must begin in the first week of May by planting out a lot of one-year old plants in poor soil, in an open sunny situation, and keep them well watered until the end of June, after which time do not give them a drop. ”

“ Beware of the sudden bursts of sunshine that occur in the spring and shade them slightly, or they will suffer, and beware, also, of using any more fire heat than is necessary to protect them from frost. ”

“ From this point the cultivator may proceed either to force a few at a time, or allow them to bloom naturally as the season advances. The first thing to do is to cut them back to about six eyes from the bottom of each well-placed ripe shoot, removing any weak inside shoots that might crowd the head without improving the plant. Next give them a shift to pots seven and a half inches in diameter, with the same soil as the last, and with a mulch of rotten manure an inch thick on the top. Ordinary greenhouse temperature will set them going very early in spring, and the blooms will show immediately. ”

“ It is well to remember that plants growing in pots in the open air require quite as frequent refreshings from the watering-can as others grown indoors. Never let the soil get dry enough to allow the leaves to flag; and, on the other hand, avoid too frequent applications of water. Clear soft water will suffice until the plants have had their last shift, and get pot-bound, then water with weak liquid manure, and continue its use during the whole time they are in the conservatory. ”

“ For all ordinary purposes two-year old plants are the most suitable. The cuttings are struck under a hand-glass as soon as they can be had, and when nicely rooted are planted out at a distance of nine inches apart, in rows about fifteen inches from each other. The young shoots are stopped two or three times, and in September they are taken up and planted a little further apart each way. This serves the double purpose of checking the growth and rendering them better able to withstand the effects of a severe winter, and also promotes the formation of a mass of fibrous roots. ”

“ When propagated on a large scale they may be dibbled into wet sand, placed over a tank or dung-bed, but we prefer to pot them singly at first, as it is a decided gain in the end. When the thumbpots are full of roots shift to 60-sized pots, using a compost of peat, leaf, and loam from rotted turfs, equal parts of each, keep them in the greenhouse, or warm pit, water frequently overhead, and at the root; give plenty of air, and keep the plants near the glass. When these pots are full of roots, shift into 6-inch pots, the compost to be strong turfy loam, full of fibre ”

“ The soil should be light and rich, to insure a vigorous growth, and, at the same time, promote the formation of an abundance of fibrous roots. The distance at which they are put apart must be determined by their size. Small plants, with but one or two leading branches, may be stopped twice, but large specimens should not be stopped more than once, and in either case none of the shoots must be pinched back after the first week in July. Early in September take them up carefully, with as much soil as possible adhering to the roots, and put them into the smallest sized pots practicable. ”

“ When a stock is once obtained, there will be no difficulty in keeping it up, as cuttings of the half-ripened wood will strike freely, if placed in a shady part of the greenhouse, or in the propagating pit. The wood is generally in condition for propagating purposes in May, and cuttings struck at that period will make nice little plants, and produce a few spikes of bloom in the autumn; but, with good management, they will become large specimens, not less than two feet through by the autumn following. ”

“ Though almost hardy, they like warmth and a moist atmosphere when growing. When they become fair-sized trees they will bear rough treatment without harm, and may be wintered in a cool house, provided they are never touched by frost. When they are large enough to be in eight-inch pots they may remain in the same pots for several years if assisted with weak manure water in the early summer when making their new growth. If required to flower in winter treat as recommended for bouvardias. ”

“ To have them in full bloom throughout the winter, it is necessary that the plants should be well established previous to the end of the autumn, and also that an intermediate house be available for them. Specimens intended for furnishing cut flowers should be trained within about six inches of the glass, to expose the growth to the light as much as possible. Those intended for the conservatory and other purposes, must be trained to trellises or stakes fixed in the pots, and so long as they make new growth they will continue in bloom. ”

“ Put the cutting pots wherever they will have a temperature of 60° or 70°, and as soon as rooted put them into small 60’s, from thence into five-inch pots, and finally into their blooming pots, which may be either six-, eight-, or nine-inch pots; those in eight-inch pots will generally be the most useful for conservatory decoration. When potted into the small 60’s, replace in the propagating frame for a week or ten days, and then remove to a warm frame. Harden off as quickly as possible, and remove to a cold frame, as a continuance in artificial heat will result in general ruin. ”

“ The size of the pot must be regulated by the number of the tubers put in each; one should be put in five-inch, two in six-inch, three in eight-inch, and four in nine-inch pots, and the last mentioned is the largest size that should be employed. The soil must be kept dry until they start into growth, and then sufficient water applied to make the soil just moist, and no more; for very little water will be required until they have made considerable progress. ”

“ If the plants are strong shift them into eight-inch pots in February, and be especially careful in watering for a few weeks afterwards. As the flower-stalks make their appearance support them with neat sticks. Plants intended for large specimens for the following year should have their flowers removed immediately the size, shape, and colour of them can be seen, be kept cool all the summer, and shifted into larger pots in autumn, early enough to fill the pots with roots before winter. More care in watering is necessary the second winter than the first. ”

“ It can only be turned to account, however, where there is convenience for keeping it warm in the winter, and those who have only a cool house may as well do without it, for it will simply worry them. It is very easy to propagate and grow. Cuttings of the young wood should be inserted early in the spring, and treated in the same way as the ordinary kinds of soft-wooded plants, the pot being plunged in a nice bottom- heat. ”

“ Where the temperature of the conservatory is maintained at or about fifty degrees during the winter, a few permanent specimens may be grown in it, and trained up the pillars and rafters, where they will be fully exposed to the light. ”

“ Tropæolums do not require so much pot-room in proportion to their size as many other plants, and therefore it is necessary to guard against over-potting them. Specimens trained as pyramids or standards should be put in six- or eight-inch pots, and those intended for training to pillars or rafters in either nine- or ten-inch pots. They bloom more profusely when rather confined at the roots, and exhaustion can be easily prevented by watering them with weak liquid manure. ”

“ Short-jointed side-shoots should be selected for cuttings. A considerable saving of time will be effected if the cuttings are inserted singly in small pots, as they can then be shifted on without suffering any check. When it is desired to have specimens of extra size for the purpose of obtaining a very large supply of cut flowers, it will be an advantage to commence with plants well established in three or five inch pots, and then remove all the flowers until a few weeks before they are required, so that the energies of the plants shall not be unnecessarily taxed. ”

“ There are several distinct species in cultivation, but the best is our old friend H. hortensis, which produces pink flowers when grown in rich loam, and blue flowers when grown in either peat or loam in which there is a decided trace of the salts of iron. ”

“ If the system of culture here advised is carried out, and the foliage kept clean by means of a sprinkle overhead once or twice a day according to the weather, there will not be much trouble from insects of any kind; but if green-fly should happen to make its appearance, fumigate at once. When they are allowed to get ahead before remedial measures are brought into requisition, it requires double the quantity of tobacco to dislodge the enemies, apart from the injuries they commit. ”

“ Keep them close to the glass, and as soon as the season is sufficiently advanced expose the plants to a free circulation of air, to keep the growth dwarf and stocky. After the middle of May, the lights may be drawn off altogether during the day, whenever the weather is sufficiently favorable, unless the plants are required to be in flower on an early date. ”

“ The form of the trellis must he left to the taste of each cultivator, and it is of little consequence in which way the growth is trained, provided that it is nicely regulated, and not allowed to run together in an inextricable mass. ”

“ The plants are housed at the end of October. A cold pit suffices for their protection, and they have a little water occasionally, and are kept clean as they lose their leaves. In case of severe weather a little care must be taken to prevent them being severely frosted. ”

“ They require peculiar management, and those cultivators will alone succeed who earnestly give their minds to the business. Nevertheless, they are very easy to manage, and those who will follow our directions will surely succeed. ”

“ Keep them close after potting, but give them air as soon as they have begun to grow again, and as soon as they have filled the 60-size pots with roots shift them into five-inch pots. They must be wintered in a greenhouse, very near the glass, and be very cautiously watered, until the days begin to lengthen rapidly. ”

“ Training must be proceeded with after the second stopping, and the simplest form possible should be adopted. All balloon or other wire trellises should be avoided, and a few neat stakes only be employed. ”