XOVEMRKR. 



GESNERIA DONKELAARI. 



241 



This charming continental variety originated, we believe, with 

 M. Donkelaar, late of Brussels, the fortunate raiser of the well- 

 known Camellia which also bears his name. A glance at our 

 plate will be sufficient to show that it is one of the most distinct 

 and beautiful kinds belonging to the genus, and one which 

 cannot fail to become universally admired. Our drawing was 

 prepared from a plant which flowered this autumn, for the 

 first time in England, in the nursery of Messrs. E. G. Hen- 

 derson, of Wellington Road, St. John's Wood. It is a strik- 

 ing variety, of robust habit, and with a deep-green handsome 

 foliage. When in blossom, its numerous long richly-tinted 

 flowers, with their white throats, are extremely attractive, 

 and contrast well with the more common forms of the genus. 

 Indeed, looked at from whatever point of view one may, it 

 must, we think, be regarded as a great acquisition. 



As respects the cultivation of Gesnerias, like Achimenes, 

 they increase sufficiently fast, by means of their under-ground 

 tubers, to render artificial propagation unnecessary, at least in 

 the case of ordinary growers. If it is desired to have flower- 

 ing specimens in autumn and early winter, the tubers should 

 be carefully separated from the soil in which they have been 

 wintered about the beginning of March, and planted rather 

 thickly on the surface of well-drained pots or pans, filled to 

 within about three inches of their surface with any light 

 peaty soil, from which it will be easy to separate the roots 

 without injury, and covered two inches deep. Give a gentle 

 watering, to settle the soil about the tubers, and place them 

 in a warm growing temperature of about 65° or 70°. Until 

 the plants appear above the soil, no more water should be 

 given than may be necessary to preserve the soil in a moist, 

 healthy condition. As soon as the plants are from an inch 

 to two inches high, they should be separated and repotted. 

 Use shallow 8-inch pots, and place five plants in each ; but 

 the number of plants to a pot should be regulated by the taste 

 and convenience of the cultivator. With proper management, 

 one plant in a pot will form a very fine specimen ; but to 

 effect this, more care and time are required than when five 

 plants are put into a pot, and the latter form larger specimens 

 than it is possible to obtain by having only one plant. After 

 potting, keep the atmosphere close and moist, and give very 

 little water at the root until they start into growth. When 

 the pots are moderately well filled with roots, shift into the 

 flowering size. For single specimens 10-inch pots will be 



NEW SERIES, VOL. III. NO. XXXV. V 



