320 THE GARDENER. [July 



tory to him. It matter.s not how simple the conditions necessary to 

 success in the cultivation of any plants are — unless they are supplied at 

 the right time, the plants will suffer in health through the omission ; 

 and plants of the Pimelea are no exception to this rule. 



Points to be observed in the culture of the I^imelea are, that the 

 plants in all stages of their growth should be placed in an airy position 

 as near to the glass as possible, and should not be shaded except 

 when in flower, or in the case of extra bright sunshine. They should 

 be kept free from insects at all seasons. Red-spider, however, is the 

 only insect that affects them seriously, and it must be kept down by oc- 

 i\isionally syringing the plants with cold water in which a little soft- 

 soap has been dissolved. The plants must not suffer from want of 

 water at the roots, neither must the soil about the roots become sat- 

 urated or " soured " by an over-supply of water or defective drainage. 

 Hence, in the matter of watering, the cultivator should exercise con- 

 siderable care, and only give sufficient for the requirements of the 

 plants at the different stages or seasons of their growth. 



Once in two j^ears is often enough to repot established plants of the 

 Pimelea, and the time to do so is soon after they have done flowering 

 for the season. When they become large, they will, with the assistance 

 of weak liquid-manure, given once a-week during the season of active 

 growth, remain healthy and flower abundantly for several years without 

 repotting. The Pimelea succeeds in a compost of peat and sand, or in 

 one of loam and sand, in the proportion of 3 parts in bulk of the former 

 to 1 of the latter. Peat, however, of a good fibry kind, is, in my opinion 

 preferable to loam in which to grow the Pimelea. Some cultivators 

 recommend a mixture of peat and loam as compost for the Pimelea 

 and several other hard-wooded plants ; but I have never been able to 

 discover the benefit arising from the practice, nor understand the theory 

 on which it is recommended. When repotting the plants, they should 

 be supplied with an adequate amount of drainage, and the fresh soil 

 made as firm as possible during the process, remembering not to fill the 

 pots over full. 



The Pimelea is increased by seeds or cuttings, the latter being the 

 method in general practice. Half-ripened shoots, about 2 inches long, 

 inserted in silver sand and covered with a bell-glass, and treated in a 

 similar way to Heath cuttings, root freely. It requires three or four 

 years, however, from the time the cuttings are rooted until the plants 

 are of a useful size ; and consequently it is better to purchase plants in 

 a flowering state from a nurseryman, than to raise them from either 

 seeds or cuttings. 



The five species of Pimelea named below are, in my opinion, the most 

 desirable to cultivate, and when properly treated are sure to please the 

 cultivator. 



P. elegans. This species blooms in April and May. It is a strong 

 grower, producing large heads of flower of a creamy-white colour. 



