NOVEMBEJl. 321 



DIPLADENIA MAGNIFICA. 



(Plate 94.) 



This fine plant was introduced to English gardens by Messrs. 

 Veitch and Son, of Exeter and Chelsea, from a continental house, 

 which had it from the Brazils. Beautiful as is the old and 

 favourite Dipladenia crassinoda, this variety far exceeds it in the 

 size of its flowers, the depth of its colours, and the most distinct 

 and peculiar marbled appearance of its blossoms. It is, in fact, 

 what its name designates it to be, a magnificent improvement 

 on D. crassinoda. 



As regards culture, we imagine few plants of a twining cha- 

 racter will be found more suitable for pots than this charming 

 Dipladenia. It does not grow too strongly, and under proper 

 management it produces a profusion of large Convolvulus-shaped 

 blossoms, which remain long in perfection. For the decoration of 

 a conservatory or flower-house during summer and early autumn 

 no more useful plant can be found ; and if carefully removed to 

 a cool temperature as soon as the blossoms expand, they will 

 become higher coloured, and remain longer in beauty, than in a 

 stove. 



When young plants are received, after potting them, if they 

 require it, let them be placed near the glass, in a gentle bottom- 

 heat, with a moist warm atmosphere. Shade them from the 

 mid-day sun, and keep them growing briskly till late in autumn. 

 On the approach of winter gradually inure them to a cooler and 

 drier atmosphere, in order to ripen their wood. While at rest 

 aff"ord them a light airy situation, where the temperature may 

 range from 50° to 60°, and give very little water to the soil. 

 The plants should now be strong and healthy, and in 7-inch pots ; 

 and if this is not the case, as possibly it may not be, they should 

 be grown on another season in the nursery pit, for it is useless to 

 think of producing a large handsome flowering specimen without 

 a good strong healthy plant to commence with. As early in 

 spring as a spare corner in a pit or house with a gentle bottom- 

 heat and a moi^twarm atmosphere is at command, where the 

 plants can be kept near the glass, turn them out of their pots, 

 repair the drainage, and clear away all unkind soil, repotting in 

 the same sized pots, and plunging in a bottom-heat of about 80° 

 or 85°. Any sickly points that may happen to be on the shoots 

 should be cut back to a plump bud, and weakly ones removed 

 altogether, which will throw the sap into the stronger shoots, and 

 those should be kept regularly tied, so as to expose the foliage to 

 light, and induce the buls to break regularly. When growth 

 commences regulate the shoots so as to induce the buds to break 



NEW SERIES, VOL. IV. NO. XLVII. Y 



