Fetoiiaiy 23, 1872. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



BROMELIACEOUS PLANTS.— No. 2. 



S,'^^^ EOMELIA LONGIFOLIA.— BromeUa is tlie 

 *^w1k-^7|1i genus wliicli gives the name to the whole 

 order, and it contains several species of gi-eat 

 beauty. That now under consideration well 

 deser\-es a place in every plant stove, or 

 it may be planted in [the fernery, where, 

 placed in a suitable position, it forms no 

 mean object, and as its bracts are hard and 

 persistent, the moist atmosphere wliich it is 

 necessary to maintain does not affect them. 

 The leaves of B. longiibha are usually from 18 to 24 inches 

 in length, somewhat narrow, and armed with long s^jiaes ; 



Eromelia longifolia. 



the upper surface is dull gi-een, wlule beneath they are 

 silvery white. The head of flowers proceeding from the 

 centre of the plant is vei-y dense and bright rose colour, 

 whilst the bracts which accompany them are deep crimson. 

 It usually comes into bloom about the end of July, and 

 retains its fuU beauty for a long time. Its native country 

 is Guiana ; it was introduced to oui- gardens about 184G. 



B. FERN.iND.E. — This is a plant of quite recent intro- 

 duction, having been discovered in 1866 by that inde- 

 fatigable h-aveller and collector Mr. G. Wallis. It is a 

 native of Para, affecting the forests bordering upon the 

 river Amazon. It flowered for the first time in Em-ope 

 in 1870, and is beautifully figiu-ed in the June number of 



No. 670.— Vol. XXIL, New Semes. 



" LTllustration Horticole," pubhshed imder the direction 

 of the distinguished Belgian nurseryman, M. J. Lindei\ 

 thus affording another proof of my fomier remark, that 

 the pubho taste for these plants is decidedly upon the 

 increase. This species is a robust gi-ower, producing 

 long, somewhat nan-ow, acuminate leaves, which are 

 channelled above and rather distantly toothed with short 

 obtuse spines ; they are full dark green on the upper 

 side, tinged below with duU red. The whole plant pre- 

 sents a somewhat vase-Uke appearance, its long leaves 

 arcliing, and the upper portion becoming pendulous. The 

 flowers are produced in a large capitate head, and they, 

 or rather the siuToundings bracts, have a grand effect ; 

 these bracts are veiy numerous, brilhant carmine red on 

 the upper side, somewhat paler below. This is, undoubt- 

 edly, a magnificent plant, and I hope to see it -^ddely 

 distributed when M. J. Linden places it in commerce. 



DiSTLACANTHUS SCARLATINUS. — I have uo knowledge of 

 this genus, and cannot say in what it differs. This plant 

 was fii'st exhibited in Biiissels, I beheve in 1867 or 

 1868 — I am not quite sure wliich — and attracted much 

 attention at that time. Since then I have occasionally 

 seen it, and although it is certainly not amongst the 

 most superb of its class, it is well desei-^-ing the attention 

 of aU plant-gi'owers who are not limi ted for room. The 

 plant is of robust gi'owth ; the leaves are long and spread- 

 ing ; the flowers do not rise above the fohage, and the 

 chief attraction is the vivid scarlet of the inner leaves, 

 which retain their intensity of colour for a long time. It 

 is a native of the countiy bordeiing upon the river jVma- 

 zon, and enjoys an abundance of heat and moistiu'e. 



BILBERGlA. 



A genus distinguished for numerous beautiful species, 

 many of which exist in oui' gardens. They may be grown 

 in gi'eat perfection on blocks of wood, or in baskets sus- 

 pended from the roof of the stove ; in this way they are 

 fi'equently gi'own in verandahs by the inhabitants of Brazil 

 and other parts of South Anieiica, their briUiant coloui's 

 and lasting beauty making them general favourites, 

 even where gay flowers are not rax-e. However, if it 

 should better suit the taste or convenience of the ama- 

 teur to have them in pots, there is nothing to prevent tliis 

 method of cultivation being adopted. The pots must be 

 well ch-ained, and the soil shovild be two parts fibrous 

 peat to one partof loam, and my previous remarks con- 

 cerning watering these plants must be followed out if 

 good plants and flowers are looked for. 



IJ. Baraquiniana is a native of the Amazon country, 

 and dehghts in strong heat. The leaves are somewhat 

 naiTow, some 18 inches high, and erect. Like the leaves 

 of all this family, they overlap at the base ; they are 

 pendulous at the ends, and in colour bright gi'een, with 

 several transverse bands of powdery wliite underneath, 

 being, in addition, armed at the edges with red spines. The 

 spikes of flower are pendulous at the upper pai-t, and the 

 stem densely powdered with white. The flowers are green, 

 and the stamens much exserted ; these colom-s, however, 

 are beautiftilly set-off by the large oblong bracts, which 

 are of a brilhant scarlet. Wlien grown in a basket, arc! 



No. 1222.-V0L. XLVn., Old Series. 



