108 
Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 
CISSUS. 
in the attempt to destroy the insects. 
Thrips and red spideraresometimes trouble- 
some, but rarely affect them if the cultiva- 
tion is such as advised. Dipping in a 
weak solution of insecticide will kill the 
spider ; fumigate for thrips. . 
CISSUS. 
(Stove.) 
Among all the variegated stove plants 
that have been introduced to this country 
there are few, if any, that have attracted 
so much attention as Cissus discolor, the 
exquisite markings of its leaves being very 
handsome. It is a climber, easily propa- 
gated, and its subsequent management is 
equally easy. Cuttings made of the young 
shoots, consisting of some three or four 
joints each, put singly into small pots in 
sand and kept in a close, moist atmosphere 
in a brisk heat form roots quickly, after 
which they should be inured to the air of 
the house and moved into proportionately 
larger pots. Use good open rich soil— 
either peat or loam will answer—as the 
plants are such free-rooters that they grow 
and do well in anything, provided it is not 
retentive of moisture, so that the large 
ty of water they need can pass freely 
off. 
If to be trained on trellisestheyshould not 
be put on these until in the pots which 
they are for some time to occupy ; conse- 
quently, in their younger stages, the shoots 
should be trained round a few sticks till 
they are large enough to be placed in the 
pots in which they are to be confined. One 
stopping will generally be sufficient to 
cause enough shoots to break to furnish 
the specimens sufficiently. A brisk stove 
temperature, with shade when the sun is 
powerful, is requisite to grow them well ; 
shade is especially necessary in the case of 
C. discolor, the variegation of which can- 
not be preserved if the plants are too much 
exposed to the sun. Large pots are required 
to grow the more vigorous kinds, such as 
C. discolor, which will fill a 12-inch or 
15-inch pot in six or eight months after it 
is struck. When to be planted out so as 
to cover a pillar or portion of a wall in the 
stove, for which purpose they are well 
adapted, the plants may be turned out as 
soon as they have filled 6-inch pots with 
their roots. In all stages of their growth 
they require to be plentifully supplied with 
water and syringed overhead daily during 
the growing season. In the winter they may 
be cut in freely to keep their heads in 
bounds. If grown in pots, they may, as 
soon as they have broken again into 
growth, be partially shaken out and fresh 
soil given. When planted out they soon 
exhaust the material in which their roots 
are placed, and should be assisted by sur- 
face dressings of good loam, enriched with 
decomposed manure. The plants can be 
used for filling large baskets for hanging 
up, where they can be kept in a stove tem- 
perature, without which they make little 
progress. 
There are a number of species in culti- 
vation, but the undermentioned kinds are 
the ones that find most favour with the 
generality of cultivators :— 
C. discolor. This is a climbing plant 
from Java, of very free growth, with ob- 
long cordate leaves, deeply ribbed, ground 
colour deep green, beautifully marbled with 
white, and while young with pinkish red. 
C.glortosa. Another free-growing climber, 
with velvety green leaves, veined with red. 
Introduced from Costa Rica. 
C. Lindent. Also a climber, like C. 
discolor, with tendrilled branches; the 
leaves are medium-sized, bright green, 
mottled with white. It comes from 
Colombia. 
C. porphyrophylla. A free grower, very 
suitable for covering a wall in a hothouse 
where there is not so much light as most 
plants require. A native of India, not 
nearly so handsome as the preceding. 
Insecrs.-—Thrips, aphides, mealy bug, 
and scale will all live on these plants, but 
the daily use of the syringe will usually 
be found sufficient to keep the least trouble- 
some in check, and should bugs or scale 
affect them sponging must be resorted to. 
CISSUS. 
(Greenhouse. ) 
Most of this genus are stove species, but 
there are a few that will thrive with green- 
house treatment. They are climbing plants, 
and have handsome foliage ; the flowers 
are insignificant. 
The mode of increase is by cuttings 
struck in spring in the usual way ; when 
they are rooted pot them, and grow on in 
moderate heat until they have got well 
established, after which give pot-room as 
required until they are large enough for 
planting out in the positions they are to 
occupy. 
The following are the most suitable for 
growing in this way :— 
C. antarctica. New South Wales. 
C. capensis. Cape of Good Hope. 
C. quinata. Cape of Good Hope. 
Insects.—A phidesare frequently trouble- 
some on the young shoots ; as soon as dis- 
covered they must be destroyed by fumiga- 
