214 THE FLOE^L WOKLD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 



deep even in the dry est season, and if not there the roots will follow 

 till they find it ; the extremes of root generally finding pabulum 

 enough below to withstand the fiercest drought; but your dribbling 

 waterer reverses all this, by only moistening that part of the ball 

 which is most devoid of roots, or without them. More, many more^ 

 plants are killed from not being watered through and through till 

 every interstice is swollen with moisture than from any other cause 

 whatever. 



Stephanotis is as " dirty" a plant as any, and quite a favourite 

 ** hunting-ground" of the mealy-bug. It usually gets into such a 

 black and white state with filth, that it is necessary to take it down 

 from wires and rafters, and wash away very tediously till the leaves 

 look themselves again ; but all this is attended with a deal of trouble^ 

 independent of iujury to the plant, which usually sufters much by 

 getting its leaves and shoots cracked from the taking down, washing, 

 and putting up ; and besides by this treatment Stephanotis is rarely 

 clean except for a few weeks after the washing. The best way ta 

 keep it clean is by the free use of the engine, the water to be finely 

 divided by the finger, but driven strongly, and this at all seasons, 

 except when the plant is in flower. By training in rather close 

 wreaths a foot or so from the glass, instead of training the shoots all 

 over the roof, this syringing process may be facilitated, and with les& 

 interference with other subjects. The Stephanotis, too, looks much 

 better in rather a close mass than when the smgle shoots are much 

 separated. By having it trained lengthways, a more equal display 

 of bloom may be obtained. 



Cissrs niscoLOE. — In marked contrast to the last, but of the 

 greatest value for the beauty of its leaf alone, is Cissus discolor, the 

 most beautiful of all " fine" or " ornamental" leaved climbing plants. 

 Instead of " getting green" or sickly-looking at the points after the 

 summer's work is over, it may often be seen depending a few shoots 

 in autumn, which for marvellous colouring and coruscations of the 

 most lovely tints that ever gladdened the eye, are unequalled by any 

 leaf or flower in cultivation. This, however, is best seen when the 

 minor branches hang down in a fernery, or shady moist stove. A 

 nice plant on a trellis is of course a beautiful object, but it is only 

 when half-wild ranges of shoots are allowed to gracefully and freely 

 hang down " in the way " from a healthy specimen that the real 

 beauty of the plant is seen. It is usually very well managed in the 

 Victoria House at Kew, and forms splendid wreaths and pillars 

 there, but the house is too light and dry for the beautiful colouring 

 of the plant. It is perhaps in Mr. Bewley's noble stove near 

 Dublin that Cissus discolor shows its chief beauty in these islands, 

 for there it is allowed to fall down " free as the flowers of May,'* 

 from rocks and rafters, so that here and there it obscures the view;. 

 and besides, it is only in this hanging condition that you can readily 

 see the full beauty of the varied tints from old leaves to young. Of 

 course Cissus is, like most other plants, fond of good cultivation or 

 good living, but any rich and light soil will grow it weU ; it likes a 

 partially shaded house, and plenty of water, during the fast-growing, 

 season. 



