EXPEEIMENT OK HEATING EAKTH. 185 



collection of the painted leaved Galadiums, were a complete failure. 

 I could only keep them in action hy aid of hand-glasses. Colo- 

 casta esculentay on the other hand, and Calla Ethiopica, were 

 magnificent. The latter flowering in great perfection. 

 : Fictis elastica Roimshed. A Pine-apple sucker which had shown 

 fruit precociously, being planted out in July, (too late,) continued 

 to grow healthily, and swelled its fruit It had begun to colour, 

 when the whole plant was killed by frost. I could not make a 

 fair trial of Achimenes- Not having any in stock myself, a 

 plant or two, out of condition, were supplied by a neighbour in 

 July. They did not come to much, but as I have grown and 

 flowered them in the cool open ground, I strongly recommend 

 their trial. Torenia (Mr. Veitch's sort] grew thrivingly, but did 

 not flower. The old sort would have been better for the purpose. 

 Linum trigynum flowered handsomely, and made vigorous 

 suckers. 



Pogostemon Patchouli. — I can barely keep this interesting 

 plant alive out of doors, with ordinary treatment. Here it grew 

 as strongly as a Salvia. I was disappointed in Salvia spUndens. 

 It grew very strongly and flowered, but the growing points were 

 liable to check, the leaves curling and turning yellow. I 

 remarked that such shoots as were sheltered by others remained 

 green and healthy. Ipomcea grandiflora was partially aflfected in 

 the same way. I have seen these two plants do better in the 

 open cool ground, and I think the effect may be traced to the 

 great difference between the ground-heat and that of the atmos- 

 phere, particularly as a hot day or two would cause a perceptible 

 diminution of the symptoms. It was probably from the same 

 cause that, in eurly growths of the scitamineous plants, the 

 development of the mid-rib was in advance of that of the lamina 

 of the leaf, causing a curvature in the growing point, and con- 

 sequent laceration of the foliage. This was soon cured by the 

 increasing temperature of the year. The common tall Banana 

 grew tolerably, but was evidently too tender. Three hot days 

 would give the young leaf its proper colour and expansion, while 

 the next few days, if cool, would almost paralyse the plant. 

 Cavendishii, or the race represented by Bosacea^ would, I doubt 

 not, succeed. Cissns discolor, an old worn-out specimen, broke 

 from the old wood and grew, though sluggishly. A small plant 

 of a Hoya, from one of the houses at Chiswick, grew rather 

 strongly; so also Piper nigrvm, a Peperomia, Cyanotic, and 



