THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 229 



cut back, and the stem severed into six-inch lengths. These will 

 strike freely in a little warmth, but as the above-mentioned species 

 will grow to a height of twenty feet, and increase in effectiveness in 

 proportion to their size, every endeavour should be made to preserve 

 the foliage as long as possible. They must not be over-potted or 

 over-watered, or they will soon come to grief. Several of the 

 coloured leaved species grow well, and have a fine effect in the green- 

 house through the summer, but as they require a little extra warmth 

 through the winter, I am bound to leave them out. 



Echeveria atrojmrpurea, JE. metallica, and Farfugium grande, are 

 pretty dwarf-growing subjects, well adaptedforgreenhouse decoration. 

 The latter requires starving to bring out the variegation properly. 



Distinct from these we have the feathery-leaved Grevillea, flexu- 

 osa and G. robusta, both of which succeed well under ordinary 

 treatment, if kept free from white scale — a pest that is rather partial 

 to them. Upon its first appearance, syringe them overhead with a 

 solution of " Fowler's Insecticide." 



The Lomatia has such elegant plumy leafage that two or three 

 species must form a part of my selection. I consider L. elegan- 

 tissima and L. ferruginea to be the two best. 



The variegated Hydrangea is a magnificent subject when grown 

 well. Cuttings of half- ripe wood in the summer, and of old wood 

 early in the spring, will strike readily with the assistance of a little 

 warmth. The old wood should be cut back to within two or three 

 joints of the bases every spring, and the strong shoots will then 

 spring up, bearing large finely-marked leaves. The flowers are 

 inferior to those of the green-leaved form, and spoil the appearance 

 of the plant, but when the shoots are cut back as suggested, no 

 flowers will be produced, or, if they are, it will be towards the end 

 of the season, and at the points of the strong growing shoots ; there- 

 fore, they will not interfere with the production of handsome 

 foliage. 



The Palms are beginning to receive the attention they so richly 

 deserve, now that it is known that several will grow freely in an 

 ordinary greenhouse temperature, and without any special treat- 

 ment. The compost in which they are grown should be composed 

 of good turfy loam, mixed with a small proportion of leaf-mould and 

 sand through the earlier stages. The pots must be properly drained, 

 and the plants have sufficient water at all times, and not be dried off 

 in the winter. When repotting them, loosen the roots round the 

 outside of the ball of soil, just to enable them to push freely into 

 the fresh stuff; but no disrooting must be practised, or the roots 

 injured in any way. The soil should be used in a lumpy state and 

 rammed in firm. All can be raised from seed, when it can be had, 

 but the difficulty is to obtain it. The cocoa-nut and date palms can 

 be raised from the cocoa-nuts and the stones of the dates sold at the 

 shops. Both should be steeped in warm water twelve hours pre- 

 vious to sowing, and the seed-pots should be placed in the warmth 

 of a cucumber-bed to get them up. 



I shall only name a few that I know to grow freely in a green- 

 house temperature, and have also an effective appearance. Areca 



