170 THE FLORIST AND POMOLOaiBT. AUGUST, 



advantage be covered witH living sphagnum moss, which not only assists in 

 keeping an equable degree of moisture about the roots, but is very effective as a 

 set-off to the plants. — T. Moore. 



GLORIOSA SUPERBA. 



C^fHIS is one of those beautiful old plants now-a-days so seldom met with, but 



^^^ which is worthy of cultivation in every collection of stove plants. It 



VK^ requires no gi'eat management to grow it well and to flower it freely, 



^©* where there is plenty of top and bottom heat. The tuberous roots 



should be potted early in March, in a compost of turfy loam, peat, and sand, 



and the pots should be plunged into the tan bed in the stove. When the shoots 



appear, they should be supported by being trained neatly to stakes or over a nice 



wire trellis, otherwise they will trail over the neighbouring plants. When the 



roots are first potted, and for some time after, very little water should be given, 



but during the summer months, when the plants are growing freely, they will 



require liberal supplies. They require a high temperature, with all the light 



possible during the whole period of their growth ; bottom-heat is not absolutely 



necessary during the summer months, but they will do much better with it. 



When the plants are well grown, they will produce a succession of their beauti- 

 ful flowers for several weeks during the latter part of summer. When the stalks 

 and foliage have decayed in the autumn the roots may be left in the pots during 

 the winter months, but the pots should be removed from the hot-bed to a dry 

 situation at some distance from the heating apparatus ; all the heat at this time 

 necessary being merely sufficient to keep the earth in the pots free from damp. 

 They should be thus put aside until the beginning of March, when the roots 

 should be fresh potted. They may be potted singly into pots of 6-in, or 8-in. 

 diameter, according to the size of the roots ; but when large specimens are 

 required, five or six of the largest roots should be put into pots of 12-in. or 14-in. 

 diameter. With proper management these will be objects of great beauty for 

 many weeks towards the end of summer. Besides being very handsome and 

 easy to grow, it has an additional recommendation for more extended culture, 

 in its freedom from insect pests, to which so many other stove plants are subject.— 

 M. Saul, Stourton^ Yorkshire, 



PINUS INSIGNIS AS A SEA-COAST TREE. 



C^THE Pinus insignis, with its lively, bright green foliage, is not only one of 

 the most beautiful and ornamental of Conifers for adorning our landscapes 

 yet introduced, but it is specially valuable as a quick-growing tree, being 

 clothed to the surface. It is particularly well adapted for planting round 

 our sea coasts, and within a few miles of the coast it seems to do well, as also on 

 bleak, exposed high ground, where the soil is stony, sandy, brashy, and loose. 

 Under all these conditions it thrives freely. According to my own observations, 

 now continued during many years, there is no Conifer that will grow more freely or 



