558 THE GARDENER. [Dec. 



APHELANDRA AURUNTIACA. 

 This is one of the most brilliant and effective of winter-flowering plants. 

 It produces its warm orange-scarlet spikes of bloom about tlie begin- 

 ing of JSTovember under ordinary plant-stove treatment. And they 

 are not only among the most brilliant of stove-flowers, but they last for 

 weeks in bloom in a moderately dry atmosphere. It associates well 

 with softer colours, and no stove should be without a few plants of it. 

 Being rather stiff and erect, it is very effective mixed with plants of a 

 more loose habit, such as Calanthas, which are generally in bloom at 

 the same time. The Aphelandra has the additional recommendation 

 of being easily grown. After it has bloomed it should be rested till 

 the middle of February, by being kept moderately moist in a temper- 

 ature of 60°. At the above date, turn the plants out of their pots, 

 and slightly reduce the balls, giving them a very moderate shift, and 

 using a compost composed of equal portions fibry loam and peat with 

 a little silver-sand. Throughout the summer it should be kept near 

 the glass in a moist stove-heat, and be syringed freely overhead every 

 fine day. It is a comparatively slow-growing plant, and one that does 

 not require large pots. Plants in 6-inch pots will yield ten and twelve 

 of its most beautiful bloom - spikes. When in bloom, the winter 

 atmosphere of the Orchid-house or warm Fernery suits it well. 



A. nitens is also a most effective plant, producing rather longer 

 spikes of bloom. It does with the same treatment as auruntiaca. 



D. T. 



NOTES OIT GREEISTHOUSE SHRUBS. 



Burtonia. — These are rather troublesome little shrubs to grow, but 

 quite pretty enough to induce an ardent plant-grower to try, and they 

 reward him if he succeeds in growing them to perfection — a point he is 

 sure to attain if his ardour is well directed. One of the most im- 

 portant points in their management is watering : they are peculiarly 

 impatient of anything like a water-logged condition of soil. There- 

 fore see to the drainage, that it is adequate to begin with, and that 

 it is kept in good condition afterwards. It is also requisite that the 

 soil should be of a porous yet firm and even hard texture. Fibrous 

 peat and loam in equal parts, with gritty sand, very small nodules of 

 charcoal, added in such quantity as will render it free and open, is 

 a very suitable compost, and it should be packed very firm in the 

 process of potting. A greenhouse temperature of from 45° to 50° is 

 necessary in winter ; and in summer when making their growth they 

 will bear a good warmth, with light dewings from the syringe after 

 scorching bright days. In such weather they should have a little 

 shade ; it should not be dense, but be given them for about four hours 



