1885.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



361 



that, in our opinion, it is a general fault with car- 

 nation growers, to give more water in winter than 

 is good for them. — Ed. G. M.] 



CHOROZEMA CORDATA. 

 BY CHARLES E. P,\RNELL. 



The heart-shaped leaved Chorozema, C. cor- 

 data, is a very pretty dwarf evergreen greenhouse 

 plant, belonging to the natural order Fabaceje. It 

 is a plant of rapid growth, having numerous erect 

 stems and slender spreading woody b'^anches, and 

 sessile cordate spinose leaves, and the deep red and 

 yellow spotted (at base) are produced in terminal 

 and axillary panicles, which are generally desti- 

 tute of leaves. When well grown the leading 

 shoots of this plant produce from ten to fifteen in- 

 dividual flowers on the terminal, and a lesser 

 number on the axillary spikes. Its flowering 

 season is from January to March. It is a plant of 

 rapid growth, the leading shoots increasing at the 

 rate of two feet every season, and the plants bloom 

 when only six inches in height, and when well 

 grown the plants attain a height of from five to six 

 feet, if given plenty of pot room. 



This Chorozema is a plant easily cultivated, 

 doing best in a compost of two thirds well-rotted 

 sods and one-third well-decayed manure, with 

 the addition of a little sharp sand. Be care- 

 ful to drain the pots well, and avoid using too 

 large pots. In winter give, if possible, a light 

 sunny situation, with an average temperature of 

 50° to 55'^. Water should be carefully given 

 during the autumn and early winter months, as the 

 plants are then in a partially dormant state, but 

 during its season of growth and flowering give a 

 liberal supply. During the summer season the 

 plants can be planted out in a deep, well-enriched 

 border where they can be well cared for, water 

 being liberally supplied at all times. They should 

 be taken up and potted early in September; when 

 potled, water thoroughly, and place in any shaded 

 situation for several days, until they have taken 

 hold of the soil. Propagation is effected by cut- 

 tings, which should be put in early in February, 

 and when rooted, potted off into small-sized pots, 

 and grown on until the weather becomes settled, 

 when they can be planted outside and given the 

 treatment advised for older plants. In order to 

 propagate this plant, some experience as well as 

 the aid of a greenhouse is necessary, so that it is pre- 

 ferable for amateurs to purchase a plant or so, as 

 they can be cheaply obtained of any of our leading 

 florists. The only insect that I have ever noticed 



on this Chorozema is the red spider, so that in or- 

 der to keep this pest in check, it is necessary to 

 syringe them occasionally, and an occasional 

 sponging of the leaves is also very beneficial. 



The generic name is derived from "choros" 

 a dance, and " zema " a drink, and the specific in 

 allusion to the shape of the leaves. The Choro- 

 zemas were first discovered in Western Australia, 

 by Labillardiere, a botanist attached to an expe- 

 dition sent out by the French government in 

 search of the lost La Perouse. On one of these 

 excursions into the mterior of the country the 

 party suft'ered severely for the want of water, and 

 at last, when all but perished, they met with 

 springs surrounded by these beautiful plants, that 

 furnished an abundant supply of water. From 

 this fact the plant was named, in allusion to the 

 joyful feelings of the party in meeting with an 

 ample supply of water. Queens, N. Y. 



THE PREDISPOSING CAUSES OF MILDEW. 

 BY A. VEITCH. 



It seems to be the mission of a large class of 

 fungi to act the part of scavengers in Nature, as 

 they hasten the decomposition of dead and decay- 

 ing organisms, which otherwise might taint the 

 atmosphere and breed disease. There are others 

 again which do not subsist upon lifeless bodies, 

 but upon those which are alive and in health ; and 

 these the cultivator has the most to dread, as they 

 do much harm to his crops, and in some cases 

 utterly destroy them. 



Perhaps no relief from their ravages could be 

 gained in knowing whether plants that are per- 

 fectly healthy are as liable to be attacked as those 

 with impaired vitality ; but, as the subject is an 

 interesting one, and as much diversity of opinion 

 exists thereon, some satisfaction would be afforded 

 in knowing the exact state of the case. 



Those who believe that disease, or, at least, a 

 low state of vitality, invariably precedes mildew, 

 support their views by saying that in the case of 

 rose bushes under glass being affected it is be- 

 cause of currents of cold air passing through the 

 house, too much or too little moisture in the soil 

 j or in the atmosphere, or sudden and important 

 changes of temperature, which affect the con- 

 structive energies of the plants, thus bringing 

 them into a fit condition to be preyed upon ; all of 

 which may be true, and no careful cultivator but 

 will guard against all such contingencies. It 

 seems, nevertheless, a one-sided view of a complex 

 subject, and affords no satisfactory solution of 



