IMPATIENS. 
Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 215 
pleasing combination of red and yellow, 
lasting for a considerable time, effective on 
the plant and useful for cutting. 
The most usual method of increasing 
them is by division of the crowns, which 
should be effected in the spring, before they 
begin to grow ; turn the plants out of the 
pots and shake away the soil so as to admit 
of their roots being separated with as little 
breakage as possible; then divide the 
crowns and place them singly in pots big 
enough to admit the roots they already 
possess, and others that will soon be 
formed, for Imantophyllums are _ free 
growers, and make roots almost as fast as 
Agapanthus umbellatus, which plant they 
are not unlike in habit of growth. Pot in 
good loam, to which add some sand, and at 
once put the plants in an intermediate 
heat if such is at hand, if not keep them 
close in a greenhouse with as little air as 
possible, so as to get them into growth 
quickly, for where the roots of any plant 
have been broken, as unavoidable’in divid- 
ing the crowns, the injury is least where 
growth afterwards commences without 
delay. It will be an advantage to keep 
the plants moderately warm for two or 
three months, giving them plenty of light 
and water as needful to keep the soil well 
moistened until the growth is finished, 
after which they will do in any cool house 
or pit at liberty. Imantophyllums require 
no more shade than such as may be found 
needful to keep the leaves from burning, 
which seldom occurs. 
Winter in a temperature such as the 
generality of greenhouse plants require, 
and in the spring move them into pots 3 or 
4 inches larger. Ordinary greenhouse treat- 
ment will now suffice, but they increase in 
size more quickly if kept a little warmer 
through the earlier part of the spring and 
summer, during which time all that are 
strong enough will flower. A continuance 
of the treatment so far advised, will suffice 
to keep them in health, giving pot-room 
proportionate to the size the plants are re- 
quired to be grown to. Large specimens 
in 15 or 16 inch pots yield a quantity of 
flowers annually, but in most cases smaller 
examples will be more useful. If when 
the plants get too large a medium size is 
preferred rather than single crowns, they 
may be divided into two or three in place 
of being more reduced in size. When to be 
forced so as to bloom early in the spring, 
strong plants should be put in ordinary 
stove heat about January, and kept well 
supplied with water, and they will soon be 
induced to push up their flower-stems. 
The flowers will last longer if the plants 
are kept moderately cool when in bloom. 
During the winter season comparatively 
little water is required, either in the case 
of large or small specimens. 
I, Aitonii. Flowers red and yellow; 
blooms during summer, sooner or later, 
according as it is cool or warmer. Cape of 
Good Hope. 
I. miniatum. A pretty red and yellow 
flowered kind. Africa. 
I. miniatum splendens. A highly-coloured 
variety of the last-named. 
I. miniatum var. Martha Reimers. A 
large, massive-flowered variety, an im- 
provement on the older kinds. 
Insects.—Imantophyllums are not much 
troubled with insects, their smooth, hard, 
leathery leaves not affording much harbour 
to them; should any of the different 
species of these pests at all affect them, 
syringing and sponging will be found suffi- 
cient for their removal. 
IMPATIENS. 
Though very different from the common 
Balsam of our gardens in general appear- 
ance, I. Jerdonize, which is a stove plant, 
is botanically nearly related to it. To 
those who love and grow flowers for their 
own sakes, it is frequently a matter of sur- 
prise that plants, beautiful in themselves, 
very distinct in character, and, as one 
might suppose, possessing every property 
to recommend them for growing generally, 
should too frequently, through caprice, 
fashion, or some unknown cause, be 
allowed to go almost out of cultivation. 
Such has been the case with the plant in 
question. When first introduced, if our 
memory serves us rightly, some thirty 
years or so ago, it quickly became a 
favourite, so much so, that few people 
possessing a stove were without it. Its 
compact habit and profuse disposition to 
flower were such as to place it within the 
means of culture of those who had little 
heated glass space. Another advantage 
possessed by it is that it does not require 
great heat, but there is one matter con- 
nected with its cultivation essential to its 
very existence, and that is that in the 
winter when at rest, and all but denuded 
of leaves, it must be kept very dry at 
the root, in a comparatively dry atmo- 
sphere, and near the light, otherwise its 
succulent stems are apt to decay. The 
whole texture of the stem and branches of 
the plant is very similar as regards their 
fleshy character to the ordinary Balsam in 
general cultivation, consequently it will be 
seen that in propagation the cuttings will 
not do to be kept too close or confined, and 
they must have comparatively little mois- 
