50 
A. Van Geertii. A more recently intro- 
duced kind, that forms a pretty specimen, 
differing in appearance from any of the 
others. It attains a medium size, and is a 
moderately fast grower. 
Insects.—Resinous plants of this de- 
scription are not usually much troubled 
with insects. A free use of the syringe 
during the growing season will generally 
keep them clean. 
ARDISIA. 
A. crenulata is a compact-growing, cool 
stove, evergreen plant fromthe West Indies. 
Its flowers are small and unimportant, but 
they are succeeded by an abundant crop of 
brilliant berries, which are very showy. 
They are about the size of Haws, when ripe 
bright red in colour, and produced in 
bunches comparatively large for the size of 
the plant. They are also very persistent. 
This Ardisia is much used as a room plant, 
a purpose for which its general character 
well adapts it. It is best increased from 
seed which, if sown at the beginning of the 
year in moderate-sized pans filled with 
sandy peat sifted fine, the seeds covered 
about half an inch, and stood in a house or 
pit where a temperature of 65° or 70° can 
be kept up, will soon vegetate. After they 
have begun to grow place them where they 
will receive a fair amount of light. Keep 
the soil moderately moist, and when they 
are large enough put them singly in small 
pots and stand them on some moisture- 
holding material, such as sand or ashes. 
This is an essential matter with seedling 
plants in little pots, for if they are stood on 
dry shelves, particularly in the summer 
time, they get dried up quickly, and are 
thereby injured. Give them ordinary stove 
treatment during the summer as to water, 
heat, air, and shade ; by the end of July 
they will bear moving into 4-inch pots, and 
afterwards encourage growth until the 
middle of October, when the temperature 
should be reduced gradually for the winter, 
through which 55° or 60° will be enough. 
Increase the heat about the end of Feb- 
ruary, and in the course of a month they 
will want moving into 6-inch pots ; treat 
them afterwards as advised for the previous 
summer. This Ardisia does not require 
stopping, as it will branch out sufficiently 
of its own accord. 
As winter approaches reduce the tempe- 
rature, and increase it about the time ad- 
vised in the preceding season ; in spring 
the strongest plants may be moved into 
pots an inch larger, but it is not advisable 
to give more root-room than is absolutely 
necessary, as the smaller the pots the better 
Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 
ARECA. 
the plants will look, and those that are not 
shifted can be helped with manure-water. 
They will flower in the spring or summer 
according to the temperature they are sub- 
jected to. Give them, especially whilst in 
bloom, plenty of light, which will help the 
flowers to set ; all that is necessary further 
is to continue treating them as already ad- 
vised. By autumn, if all has gone well, 
the berries will be fully coloured, and they 
can be used with advantage for decoration 
in a warm conservatory, or intermediate 
house, or in living rooms as already men- 
tioned. If the plants are well managed 
they will be nice pyramids with healthy 
foliage down to the bottom, their handsome 
dark-green crenulated leaves contrasting 
well with their bright-coloured berries. If 
desired, they can be grown on larger by 
giving them more pot-room, but they never 
look so pretty as in the first season of their 
fruiting—consequently it is well to keep up 
the stock by sowing some of the berries 
every year. The plant will strike from 
cuttings made of the young shoots, treated 
when rooted as advised for the seedlings. 
A. crenulata alba. Is a white-berried 
variety of the above, and will succeed with 
sunilar treatment. ; 
A. Oliveri. This is a handsome deco- 
rative plant from Costa Rica, quite distinet 
in habit and general appearance from the 
preceding kinds. The flowers are bright 
purple. Itis propagated by cuttings struck 
in the usual way, and when rooted treated 
as recommended for A. crenulata. 
Insects.—The stout texture of the leaves 
does not offer much attraction for the 
smaller insects that prey on stove plants, 
and the syringing to which the plants are 
subjected daily during the growing season 
will keep them down. Scale or mealy bug 
must be removed by syringing with in- 
secticide or by sponging. 
ARECA. 
A handsome genus of Palms, most of 
which grow to a considerable height, but 
for many years may be kept within mode- 
rate size. Nearly all the species require a 
stove or intermediate temperature. 
For propagation and cultivation, see 
Palms, general details of culture. 
A, Alice. A dwarf-habited kind, with 
pinnatisect leaves. Being amenable to 
cultivation in a lower temperature than 
many, it is a desirable species. It comes 
from Australia. 
A. alba (syn.: A. Borbonica). This species 
is very handsome while in a young state, 
and has a noble appearance as it gets 
older; the leaves are pinnate, and of a 
