272 THE FLOEIST AND POMOLOGIST. [ Decembkr, 



to the sun, must be chosen. Dig out a pit 2^ ft. diameter, by 2 ft. deep ; make 

 the bottom under this dry by drainage if at all damp, and fill it up with light 

 loamy soil, mixed with about one-third of peat-earth, and a few spadefuls of 

 well-decomposed cow-dung. Plant on this, and keep the bulbs as near the 

 surface as to be just covered. Water freely in the growing season, especially 

 at the stage of coming into flower ; two or three pailfuls once or twice a week 

 will not be too much. A slight mulching after the foliage has died down may 

 be applied, as a security against the injuries of frost. The roots after flowering 

 should be taken up, the offsets separated, and then again planted in fresh soil.— 

 J. Webster, Gordon Castle. 



MUSA SUPERBA. 

 Ti^IIIS fine plant, a native of India, and which appears to have been originally 

 introduced about fifty years ago, has reappeared during the last year 

 ;M or two amongst the subjects employed for furnishing the sub-tropical 

 garden. For this situation, as wo loarn from Mr. Eogor, who has grown 

 it in Battersea Park, its growth requires to be perfected before it is turned out. 

 Even then, the experience of the past summer has not established its suitability 

 for sub-tropical work, as, either from the effects of sunshine or cold, it is apt 

 to put on a sickly yellowish hue, if placed in ordinarily exposed situations : 

 hence he purposes trying it next year under the shade of trees. 



As a conservatory plant it is, however, one of the most desirable species of 

 the genus, having something of the character of M. Eitsete., but being much more 

 easily managed. The plant is of a dwarf, stocky habit of growth, with large, 

 broad, pale-green, handsome foliage. It is increased by seeds — which are now 

 frequently offered for sale — and these, if sown in strong, moist heat, in January 

 or February, and grown on rapidly as one would a Cucumber, will produce large, 

 fine plants, suitable for the ornamentation of the conservatory or sub-troi3ical 

 garden by the month of July. There is scarcely any plant with which we are 

 acquainted that grows so rapidly from the seed as this fine Musa. The plan is 

 to sow the seeds singly in small pots, in good bottom-heat, and as soon as up and 

 rooted, pot into larger ones, which they will quickly fill with their large fleshy 

 roots. The plants, now perhaps 18 in. high, may be potted into 10-in. or 12-in. 

 pots, and gradually hardened off from the warm stove to the cool conservatory. 

 This is Mr. Barron's treatment of them, and under it they will in one season 

 attain a height of over 3 ft., and form one of the most noble and attractive of 

 autumnal decorative plants. The enlarged bulb-like base of the stem, which is 

 very imperfectly represented in the accompanying cut, obligingly communicated 

 by Messrs. Haage and Schmidt, of Erfurt, is very peculiar and well marked, and 

 is formed by the thickened persistent bases of the leaves. 



This peculiarity, as Mr. Roger points out, governs the treatment of the plants, 

 at least those of them employed for sub-tropical gardening. As soon as they are 



