ACROPHYLLUM. 
Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 
21 
— 
A. Mauve Queen.’ Mauve-coloured 
flowers ; a very fine large-flowered kind. 
A. patens—Fine violet, the flowers 
large. 
A, picta.— Flowers yellow and scarlet ; 
a dwarf-habited species from Mexico. 
A. Pink Perfection. Magenta shaded 
with violet, carmine eye, flower large. 
A. Rose Queen. Purple and rose, with 
yellow throat ; very compact habit, profuse 
bloomer. 
A. Stella. Magentas potted with carmine, 
orange eye, flowers serrated on the edge. 
A, Williamsii. Vivid scarlet, large 
flowers; compact branching habit. 
Insects.—Achimenes are not so subject 
to insects as many occupants of the stove, 
although mealy bug will live upon them, 
and, when once they get affected with this 
pest, there is not much chance of removing 
it in any way but with a small brush and 
Sponge, as the nature of the plants is such 
as not to bear washing with any insecticide 
that will kill the insects. They are also 
liable to the attacks of red spider, which 
must be guarded against by a diligent use 
of the syringe. 
ACROPHORUS. 
A small genus of Ferns, nearly allied to 
Davallias, and comprising both stove and 
greenhouse species. They are low grow- 
ing kinds with creeping rhizomes and 
have pretty fronds partaking much in 
appearance of the smaller kinds of Davallia. 
The undernamed are worth a place. 
For propagation and cultivation, see 
Ferns, general details of culture. 
Stove Species.—A. affinis. Borneo. 
GREENHOUSE SprctEsS. — A. hispidus. 
New Zealand. 
ACROPHYLLUM VENOSUM. 
This evergreen greenhouse plant is a 
native of New Holland, and is difficult to 
grow. It does not die outright, like many 
other hard-wooded plants, but gets into a 
stunted condition. It will often remain in 
that state for years, but seldom recovers. 
If from any cause whatever the small 
feeding roots die, the loss is generally con- 
fined to them, the thicker roots retaining 
their vitality, but they appear seldom to 
have the power of pushing out fresh 
feeders, hence the lingering condition. To 
grow it successfully it requires the best 
soil that can be got, soft water and close 
attention. On no account should it be 
allowed to stand out of doors, not even in 
the finest summer weather. In one respect 
it differs from most other greenhouse hard- 
wooded plants—it will not long bear being 
under the full influence of the sun in a 
light house during the summer. At that 
season it does better in a darker, and what 
for most plants would be a worse, structure, 
where the sun’s rays are less powerful. 
This points to the necessity of using a thin 
shade in very fine weather. The most 
usual way of propagation is from seed, 
which the plant produces freely ; it should 
be sown in autumn as soon as ripe in pots 
drained and filled with fine sifted peat and 
sand, the seed covered very lightly, and the 
soil kept damp but not wet. The seed 
will vegetate in a temperature of 50° by 
night, and proportionately higher in the 
day. The seedlings will not be ready for 
pricking off before spring, at which time 
they should be put in 2 inches apart in 
pans filled with’ soil similar to that in 
which the seed was sown. The after 
treatment required will need to be like 
that of plants struck from cuttings, a method 
of increasing this Acrophyllum which we 
much prefer for adoption in private 
gardens on account of the many inferior 
forms of the plant that always appear 
amongst seedlings. Cuttings of this plant 
take longer to root than those of most 
others, and should be taken off with a heel 
to ensure their succeeding. Young shoots 
suitable for the purpose can usually be had 
towards the end of summer, from about 
the collar of medium sized or large plants, 
or from strong shoots that have been cut 
back to a joint of the hard mature wood. 
They should be taken off when 3 or 4 
inches long, and the wood three-fourths 
matured, with a heel as already advised, 
and put 2 or 3 inches apart in 5 or 6 
inch pots, filled with sand. They must be 
kept close and moist in a greenhouse 
temperature through the winter ; when the 
base of the cuttings is callused over, put 
them in a moderate stove temperature, 
where they will root in a short time. By 
the beginning of June they should be 
rooted sufficiently to bear moving singly 
into 3-inch pots filled with fine peat and. 
a little sand. They must be kept close 
until they begin to grow, when give a 
little more air, but still let them have 
intermediate heat and be shaded from the 
sun; pinch out the points to make them 
break back and syringe every afternoon 
when the house is shut up. Continue this 
course until the middle of September, at 
which time admit a little more air, but do 
not let them be too cold during the 
winter. 45° or 48° in the night will keep 
them moving slowly, which is better than 
total cessation of growth with this plant in 
its first stages. In March, move into 4 or 
