Cunr. Before the introduction and high state of cultivation of 
the splendid flowering plants now annually exhibited in the 
vicinity of London, it was customary to estimate the value of 
public and private collections by the number and rarity of 
the species, without regard to the circumstance of their pro- 
ducing fine flowers. Perhaps no plants were in higher repute 
than those of the family to which this belongs, as is amply 
shown by the early volumes of the Botanical Magazine. 
Within the last twenty or thirty years, however, the cultivation 
of Proteacee has declined; the species have gradually dis- 
appeared from most of the private collections around London ; 
and but few nurserymen now take interest in them. This change 
may be partly owing to the supposed difficulty of preserving 
them, for under certain circumstances the plants suddenly die, 
_ even when in vigorous health. In the Royal Gardens Proteaceae 
have maintained their place, more especially those that are 
natives of Australia ; and as there are some at this time between 
forty and fifty years of age, and others of a large size half that 
age, it may be inferred that Proteacew are not so short-lived in 
a state of cultivation as they are generally supposed to be. 
Within our recollection it was the common practice to grow 
them in some kind of light soil, usually peat. ‘The hygrometric 
condition of such soil is easily affected by changes of the sur- 
rounding atmosphere ; becoming quickly dry during hot weather, 
and apt to become sodden with moisture in winter, and the 
spongioles or rootlets of Proteacee are very sensitive to either 
extreme ; the use of light soil, therefore, in our opinion, accounts 
for the frequent sudden death of plants of this kind. In the 
Botanical Magazine for 1836, at Tab, 3500, we have given our 
views on the cultivation of Proteaceae. We use good yellow 
loam, to which, for small plants, we add a little sharp sand. In 
shifting or repotting a plant we make it a rule to keep the ball 
of roots a little elevated above the surface of the new mould, to 
prevent any superabundance of water from lodging round the 
base of the stem. In the winter care must be taken’to give no 
more water than is required to keep the soil moderately moist, 
but In summer water may be given freely in the evening or 
early in the morning. It is important that the plants should be 
80 placed that the sun’s rays do not strike the sides of the pot. 
The species here figured, being a native of the Swan River 
Colony, requires to be treated as a greenhouse plant. It does not 
readily propagate by cuttings, but may be increased by grafting 
on any of the more common free-growing species. Imported 
seeds germinate freely. J. 8. 
Fig. 1. Flower :—magnified. 
