1879.] STOVE-CLIMBERS. 349 



great rapidity, but the crop of flowers will only be moderate in com- 

 parison to the amount of growth made. Yet this rapid-growing sys- 

 tem is not to be altogether condemned, especially if the aim of the 

 grower is to get a young plant into as large a size as quickly as pos- 

 sible. Yet if flowers are the main object from the time the plant is in 

 a very small state, the greatest return will be produced by growing the 

 plant in an intermediate house, under the influence of light, sunshine, 

 and abundance of air on all favourable occasions. 



The Stephanotis enjoys a drier atmosphere to grow in than a great 

 many plants. The blooms are produced from the young wood ; and 

 light and dry air are of real importance to solidify the growth as it is 

 made. An abundant harvest of flowers will reward the cultivator if 

 these conditions are strictly attended to. 



The Stephanotis is a valuable climber in an intermediate or cool 

 stove, and will ramble with great freedom over the roof. For exhibi- 

 tion purposes it can be taken down, if grown in a pot, and trained 

 round a balloon trellis, or in any other shape that may be deemed neces- 

 sary. When wanted for this purpose, the young shoots are best trained 

 on small string, which can be cut down when ready to be placed on 

 the trellis. They are very much inclined to curl round the string 

 or wire, and are very liable to be broken when untwisting them. If 

 grown in a very strong heat, not only is the blooming capacity of 

 the plant rendered deficient, but it becomes a prey to insects, 

 more particularly mealy-bug, if any exist in the house in which it is 

 growing. 



Propagation is effected by means of cuttings taken off soon after the 

 plants have commenced to grow, and these strike freely plunged into a 

 brisk bottom-heat. They are best inserted singly in small pots, using 

 a mixture of peat and sand. When the cuttings are well rooted, and 

 the roots have reached the side of the pots, they should be transferred 

 into 3-inch pots, in a compost of two-thirds peat and one-third rich fibry 

 loam, and with sufficient sand to make the whole porous. They should 

 also be supplied with a small upright stake, and again returned to 

 bottom-heat, and kept close until they begin to grow freely. W T hile in 

 this position the young plants will grow rapidly, and will soon be 

 ready for larger pots ; 6-inch pots will be the next suitable size. Three 

 or four small stakes should be placed round the sides of the pot to train 

 the young shoots to, unless the position affords an opportunity to train 

 them underneath the roof. 



If grown in a strong brisk heat, the young shoots will make exuber- 

 ant growth, and may, as soon as they require another shift, be transfer- 

 red into 9 or 10 inch pots. This size will be large enough the first 

 season. Supposing the plants have been trained round stakes, they 

 should now occupy a position near the glass, and must have their shoots 

 trained out thinly to get the full benefit of light. By the end of the 

 season they will have travelled a long way up the roof of a good-sized 



