APHELANDRA. 
Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 
45 
flowers a little deeper in colour, After 
trying the plant in peat and also in loam, 
as well as in a mixture of equal parts of 
each, we have found that the last is prefer- 
able used in equal proportions ; both should 
contain a fair amount of fibre and have 
added to them one-seventh of sand. Cut- 
tings strike readily taken off with a heel, 
placed singly in 60-sized pots in a mixture 
of half-sifted peat and sand, with a little 
clean sand on the top; give a little water 
at the time they are inserted, and at once 
put them under a propagating glass in a 
temperature of 70°. If with bottom heat, 
10° higher, they will root all the quicker ; 
but where there is no convenience for 
giving bottom heat it may be dispensed 
with for this as for most other stove plants, 
provided that the temperature of the house 
can be kept up sufficiently. The cuttings 
should be put in as early in the season as 
they can be had in proper condition, which 
will be when the young growths are about 
three or four inches in length. This they 
will have attained by the middle of Apri, 
provided that the plants from which they 
are taken have been kept in a warm house 
through the winter. Keep the cuttings 
sufficiently close to prevent their flagging, 
but not so as to cause the leaves to damp— 
a condition they are likely to suffer from 
if a little air is not given. By the end of 
May enough roots will be formed to admit 
of the propagating glass being dispensed 
with. They should then be moved into 
6-inch pots. For this first shift the soil 
should be sifted and used, as already 
advised, in equal proportions of loam and 
peat ; the plants will grow quicker if a 
sixth part is added consisting of half leaf 
mould and rotten dung, with as much sand 
mixed with the whole as will keep it 
porous. Pot moderately firm, and place 
the plants on a front shelf where they 
will get plenty of light, in a house or 
pit, with a night temperature of 70°, allow- 
ing it to rise 10° higher with air during 
the day. Shade in the middle of the 
day in sunny weather, and give enough 
water to keep the soil moderately moist. 
Pinch out the points of the shoots as 
soon as growth has fairly commenced. 
This Aphelandra is of a somewhat erect 
habit of growth, and disposed to run up 
without branching out unless stopping the 
shoots is attended to. Syringe overhead in 
the afternoons, and close the house with 
the sun upon the glass; by the middle of 
July they will have made sufficient pro- 
gress to bear moving into pots 2 inches 
larger, and now use the soil in a more 
lumpy state, but in the same proportions as 
before. Treat as hitherto in respect to 
heat, shade, and moisture, both at the roots 
and by syringing overhead, and keep the 
atmosphere all through the growing season 
moderately moist. About the end of August 
discontinue the use of the syringe, and give 
more air; as the weather gets cooler reduce 
the temperature 5°. They will now begin to 
throw up flower, and should be set in the 
lightest place the house affords. When the 
bloom spikes are half open the plants, if 
required, may be placed in a conservatory, 
if this is kept at an intermediate tempera- 
ture. Should it not be warmer than an 
ordinary greenhouse, they must be allowed 
to remain in the stove, as they would not 
bear being kept too cold during the autumn. 
If whilst in bloom they are subjected to a 
somewhat lower temperature than they are 
opened in, no more water must be given 
than will keep the leaves and flowers from 
flagging, or the roots will be apt to suffer. 
As soon as the blooms have decayed the 
shoots should be cut back to within a 
couple of joints of where shortened at 
the stoppings in the summer. Keep the 
plants through the winter in a temperature 
of 60° in the night and a few degrees 
warmer in the day; give no more water 
than is necessary to keep them growing 
slowly. Asthe days lengthen give 5° more 
warmth day and night. By the end of 
March the roots will begin to move ; they 
should then be turned out of the pots, and 
as much of the surface soil as is not 
occupied by the roots ought to be removed. 
Give a 3 or 4 inch shift according to the 
quantity of roots they have got, using the 
soil in a ttle rougher state than when the 
plants were smaller. When the potting is 
completed replace them in the stove, 
treating generally as in the preceding 
summer ; they will require stopping only 
once unless it is deemed advisable to have 
some in flower later in the autumn. 
About the beginning of May pinch out the 
points and tie the shoots out in a horizontal 
position, so as to induce a bushy form. 
This will also cause some of the lower eyes 
to break and produce more flowering 
growths. The plants require very little 
support, but a few neat sticks should be 
used to keep the shoots in their places. 
Treat through the summer as in the first 
season. If only stopped once they will 
flower considerably earlier; when the 
bloom is over, again shorten back the whole 
of the shoots to a couple of eyes beyond the 
point where cut back to the autumn before, 
treating similarly through the winter. In 
the spring again turn out of the pots, and 
remove as much of the old soil as can be 
done without unduly disturbing the roots ; 
repot in 2 or 3 inches larger size, which, 
