1882.1 



ANJJ HORTICULTURIST. 



107 



thousand feet of four-inch pipe, and putting in 

 steam-pipe, I think he made a grand mistake, as 

 he had the pipe on hand. And for all those con- 

 templating putting in steam, I believe this mode 

 of heating far superior, especially for those who 

 have hot water in operation, because of it being 

 more economical and safer ; for in case anything 

 should get wrong with the steam, you have the 

 pipes in the greenhouse full of hot water, which 

 will retain the heat much longer than in steam 

 pipes, and is more economical because of the 

 saving of fuel to generate steam. 



A CHEAP PLANT STAND. 



BY W. F. BASSETT, HAMMONTON, N. J. 



We made a very eflective plant stand for our 

 front yard last summer in the following manner: 

 A cedar stake two or three inches in diameter 

 was driven into the ground so as to stand firmly 

 and of the required height, a small piece of 

 board nailed across the top and another piece a 

 little larger nailed over this so as to make a sub- 

 stantial base, and a cheese box nailed to this. 

 Then we filled the box half full by putting in a 

 couple of inches of sand and sphagnum over it. 

 The whole was then covered with the pendant 

 lichen which grows on our swamp cedars, so as 

 efiectually to conceal the materials used m its 

 construction, and the box filled with plants in 

 pots — tall ones in the centre and smaller ones 

 around them with trailing plants to hang over 

 the sides. It was shaded by trees during the 

 hotter portions of the day, and such plants as 

 Glechoma, Alyssum, Ivy, Othonna crassifolia, &c., 

 succeeded finely by merely pressing a handful 

 of sphagnum around the base of cuttings and 

 pressing them into the spaces between the 

 pots. 



MEDINILLA MACNIFICA. 



BY MANSFIELD MILTON. 



The first time I saw this plant in flower was at 

 Craigo House, Forfarshire, Scotland, and I do 

 not know if I ever came across a plant since 

 which left such an impression from first sight as 

 this one did. A fine, large, magnificent specimen, 

 growing in an eighteen-inch pot, had hanging 

 from the points of its shoots large racemes of pink 

 flowers, — a gorgeous sight. The plant, when 

 not in flower, is ornamental, the leaves being 

 large, smooth and of a dark green color. 



As this plant produces its flowers from the 

 previous year's wood it is necessary to have it 

 well ripened, as unless this is attended to but 

 few flowers will be seen. I have seen specimens of 

 this plant grown, year after year, without ever 

 a single raceme of flowers being seen, the mis- 

 take being in not ripening the wood sufficiently 

 the previous year. It requires a high tempera- 

 ture to grow in. For soil, a mixture of peat and 

 loam with plenty of sand is most suitable, and 

 upon no consideration over-pot. 



It holds good with almost all plants grown in 

 greenhouses and hothouses, ihat those whith 

 produce their flowers on the previous year's 

 wood should not have too much root room, while 

 such as produce their flowers on the present year's 

 growth will bear more liberal treatment in this 

 respect. Unless with very succulent growing 

 plants, very large shifts are not advisable with any 

 kind. 



RHYNCOSPERMUM JASMiNOIDES. 



MRS. M. D. WELLCOME. 



I have a very attractive climber with the above 

 name that 1 think cannot be extensively grown, 

 or I fail to find it in any of my catalogues, 

 though from the largest floral firms in this 

 country. It was sent to me about six weeks ago 

 from Indiana, and it very soon began to throw 

 out new shoots full of buds, and the main stalk 

 has grown more than half a yard since it came 

 to me and is in bud and bloom. The flowers are 

 pure white, fragrant, and hang in clusters over 

 the rich, dark green leaves which greatly re- 

 semble those of the Camellia japonica, though 

 not so glossy. I have it trained on a small pot 

 trellis, and it is very handsome. 



CIRRHOPETALUM MEDUS/E. 



BY A. J. E. 



This is a very rare Orchid and seldom found in 

 collections, and is a most singular plant. It has 

 flowers in masses having the appearance of heads 

 with long hairs hanging from them, these hairs 

 being twisted about in a strange manner. It 

 succeeds well on blocks of wood, or in a pot with 

 rough peat and sphagnum moss, but I prefer the 

 former and the flowers show to better advantage. 

 If grown in a pot it is as well to keep the active 

 part near the edge a§ possible, so that when in 



