FEBRUARY. 29 



ACROPHYLLUM VENOSUM. 



Although this beautiful plant has been introduced to our green- 

 houses from New Holland since the year 1836, it has by no means 

 become common ; but when grown in the shape of a nice dwarf 

 bushy specimen, I am not acquainted with any thing among hard- 

 wooded plants more generally admired than this, with its beautiful 

 white bottle brush-like flowers, and light bronzy leaf most beautifully 

 serrated round its edge. From the very few plants of it exhibited at 

 our great exhibitions, it may t)e supposed that it is a plant very dif- 

 ficult to cultivate ; but such is not the case. By paying attention to 

 the following practical remarks, any grower of it may meet with per- 

 fect success. 



In the first place, procure a bushy plant from any respectable 

 nurseryman, or it can be propagated readily from cuttings, by select- 

 ing some half-ripened pieces with a hard heel, and introducing 

 them into pots prepared for cuttings, and filled nearly full of nice 

 sandy peaty mould, upon the top of which place half an inch of 

 sand ; press it down closely, insert the cuttings under bell-glasses, 

 and place them in a little bottom-heat, where they will strike readily : 

 but a young plant, if healthy and clean, w r ould be preferable, and save 

 much time in the formation of a fine specimen. When you have 

 succeeded in obtaining a plant, supposing it to be in spring, the first 

 thing to be attended to is to examine the roots, and if fresh and 

 healthy, prepare some light healthy peat-mould ; break it well up, 

 and add to it half the quantity of nice sharp sand with a portion 

 of broken potsherds. Mix these well together, and thoroughly drain 

 your pot ; then take your plant, place the mould all round it, and press 

 down firmly. One thing to be borne more especially in mind, when 

 under the operation of potting, is, never pot deep, but keep the col- 

 lar of the plant elevated above the ball of earth, so that no water 

 may at any time lodge there. When finished potting, place it in a 

 close pit, where it is not exposed to cold cutting winds or currents 

 of air; shut the pit up in good time in the afternoon, and syringe 

 the plant overhead with clean tepid water, when it will soon begin 

 to grow vigorously ; and any long straggling loose shoots that may 

 make their appearance should be removed in order to keep the plants 

 round and bushy. If they do well, they will want another shift 

 about the month of July. Be very particular in examining the roots; 

 and as soon as it is perceived that they have filled their pot, give 

 another shift, as I have found it to be a plant that very much dislikes 

 to meet with a check when it is disposed to grow. At the same time 

 I should not advise shifting too late in the season, say not after July, 

 as in this case it might receive as much injury as by letting it alone; 

 therefore always calculate, when you think of shifting it, whether 

 there is sufficient time to allow it to fill the pot with roots before 

 the growing season is finished, which is generally in August, as I 

 scarcely ever found plants make much growth after that time ; and 

 by making a point of giving it the last shift for the season in July, 

 there will be sufficient time for it to get well-established in its new 



