CURCUMA. 
C. recurvata variegata. This has noble 
plaited leaves, from 20 to 24 inches long, 
borne on stalks 15 to 18 in length, bright 
green in colour, irregularly banded with 
white. 
Insects.—Scale, mealy bug, and thrips 
sometimes are troublesome, but the cha- 
racter of the leaves admits of their being 
easily got rid of by syringing and sponging. 
’ CURCUMA. 
The species of Curcuma that find favour 
with cultivators are few in number; they 
belong to a somewhat limited family of 
herbaceous plants, mostly indigenous to the 
hot districts of Eastern India ; and, there- 
fore, in order to grow them well, they re- 
quire a considerable amount of heat.  C. 
longa produces turmeric, which is much 
used by the natives of India on account of 
its medicinal properties. Curcumas are 
of moderate growth, their leaves attaining 
a height of 2 feet. The flowers, which 
spring from the crowns of the plants, are 
borne on stout foot-stalks ; they are very 
singular in aspect, and last for weeks little 
impaired in appearance. 
Their distinctness of form renders them 
acceptable additions to the occupants of 
the stove, especially where as much variety 
as possible is desired. They come into 
bloom during summer and autumn, when 
flowers are scarcer than earlier in the sea- 
son. After they have bloomed they may 
be dried off like Gloxinias or similar things, 
keeping their roots in a tolerably warm 
place whilst at rest. They may be increased 
by means of offsets. These, as well as the 
larger roots, should be potted and started 
into growth in the spring. The small 
offsets ought to be kept by themselves and 
grown on to acquire more strength. An 
8-inch pot will be large enough for four of 
the smaller roots, and a 10-inch or 12-inch 
pot for a similar number of the larger size. 
They will succeed in either peat or loam, 
or ina mixture of both; but where peat 
can be had of good quality, containing 
plenty of fibre, it is to be preferred ; that 
which is of a compact, soapy nature is not 
fit for Curcumas, even if incorporated with 
leaf-mould, rotten manure, or loam. Con- 
sequently where nothing better than such 
can be obtained, it is advisable to grow 
them in loam, in all cases using plenty of 
sand to keep the soil in a thoroughly 
porous condition ; for if the water cannot 
pass freely through it, the feeding fibres of 
the roots will make little progress, and in 
that case the growth above ground will not 
be satisfactory. One-sixth rotten manure 
added to the peat or loam—whichever is 
Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 
133 
used—will tend to greatly increase the 
strength of the plants. The pots should 
be well drained with 2 inches of crocks, 
over which a little porous material ought 
to be laid to keep the soil from getting 
down and clogging the drainage. Press the 
compost in the pots, filling them up to 
about two-thirds their depth ; then putin 
the roots, and cover over with soil to 
within an inch of the rim. Place them in 
a temperature of 65° at night, allowing 10° 
higher in the daytime, and do not give too 
much water to the soil until the young 
shoots have appeared above the surface, 
when it may be kept more moist. When 
fresh started they may be set on a tan 
bed in the centre of the house; but as 
soon as the young growths appear, they 
should be moved to where they will receive 
sufficient light to prevent the leaves be- 
coming drawn. This is of more importance 
in the case of these plants than in that of 
most others, as their flowers do not rise 
above the foliage in the ordinary way. 
A thin screen will be required when the 
weather is bright, but do not subject them 
to permanent shade. As the days lengthen 
and sun-heat increases, raise the tempera- 
ture to 70° at night, and correspondingly 
higher in the daytime. Give a moderate 
amount of air, but do not let them be ina 
draught by placing them too near where 
air is admitted. With these, as with 
almost all plants that require heat, growth 
will be accelerated by closing the house 
whilst the sun is yet upon the glass, as the 
influence of solar heat in promoting growth, 
especially in the afternoons when the at- 
mosphere is well charged with moisture, is 
much more conducive to strength and 
healthy development than is fire-heat. 
When the house is shut syringe overhead 
freely, and continue this treatment until 
they show flower, when the syringe will be 
of no further use, but the atmosphere must 
not be kept too dry. The flowers have a 
tubular 3-toothed calyx ; the tube of the 
corolla is dilated above, five of its lobes 
being equal, but the lip is large and spread- 
ing. As the flowers open the plants may 
be inured to more air, and when expanded 
they may be removed to the conservatory 
if it is kept at an intermediate tempera- 
ture ; but if not warmer than an ordinary 
greenhouse, they must not be allowed to 
remain in it after the weather has become 
cold. After that they should be returned 
to the stove and supplied with warmth, 
and water at the roots until the leaves 
show signs of decay, when the amount of 
water may be gradually reduced in quantity 
till the tops are dead, when they should be 
kept dry. They should not, however, be 
