IXORA. 
principal growth is being made, and also 
in the autumn and winter, when the 
flowers are developing. Each spring they 
should be repotted, a portion of the old 
soil being removed, but the root-room re- 
quired is never so much as in the case of 
most stove subjects. <A little liquid manure 
through the growing season will be found 
beneficial, but it must not be given so 
strong as to plants of more vigorous 
growth. They will last for many years if 
treated as advised, and not outgrow a 
limited space ; in fact, by cutting in freely 
each spring before growth commences, they 
may be kept within the limits they filled 
the first year of flowering. 
I. Thomsoniana. This is a white kind, 
and appears to be almost, if not quite, 
identical with I. Horsfallie, except in the 
matter of colour, but the flowers are 
larger. It is a magnificent twiner, and 
will no doubt succeed under similar condi- 
tions to I. Horsfallie. 
The following are stronger growers than 
I. Horsfalliz, and we have found them 
best increased by layering, as advised for 
that kind. 
I. alatipes. A stout-growing plant with 
heart-shaped leaves; the flowers are 
salmon-coloured. Panama. 
I. Gerrard. A tuberous-rooted species 
that produces annual shoots and white 
flowers of large size. From Natal. 
I. Learw. <A strong-growing species, 
suitable for training round wires over a 
path in a long house where its free growth 
will have room to extend. The flowers 
are bluish purple. There are many others 
most of which succeed under treatment 
such as above recommended, but these will 
generally be found sufficient. 
Insects.—Scale and mealy bug will 
both thrive on Ipomceas, but when grown 
in the position above indicated it is an 
easy matter to keep these pests down by 
the use of the syringe and sponging ; in 
the same way if thrips attack the leaves 
they can without difficulty be kept under. 
ISOLEPIS. 
This is a genus of ornamental grasses. I. 
gracilis is the best known, and almost the 
only kind used for pot culture. It comes 
from New Holland, and is one of the 
prettiest small green plants grown for 
greenhouse decoration. 
Its cultivation is very simple, it thrivés 
in any kind of moderately open soil. It 
is increased by division—a plant filling a 
6-inch pot may be divided into pieces more 
or less at discretion ; this is best carried 
out in spring before growth begins. A 
Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 
219 
portion of roots should be secured to each 
piece, and they should be placed separately 
in from 3 to 6 inch pots, according to the 
size of the pieces; drain well, and add 
some sand to the loam or peat used. Give 
a good watering at once, and keep a little 
close in a temperature of 50° by night until 
they have made some growth, shading in 
the day when the weather is bright. 
Plenty of water at all times is necessary 
for this plant, but especially while grow- 
ing freely. When well established the 
temperature of a greenhouse will be suffi- 
cient. More root-room should be given as 
required ; plants such as can be grown in 
6-inch pots will be found large enough for 
most purposes. 
Lysects.—The only insect we have found 
troublesome on this Isolepis is aphides, for 
which fumigate or dip in tobacco-water. 
IXORA. 
If asked to point to a genus of plants 
inhabiting our stoves that combine the 
showiest of flowers with the finest ever- 
green foliage, we should have no hesitation 
in naming Ixoras ; and the freedom with 
which their great trusses of bloom are pro- 
duced, ranging in colour from deep red 
through all the shades of scarlet and orange 
to white, entitle them to the first place in 
any collection of stove plants where there 
is sufficient heat to grow them. This is 
indispensable, for, coming, as they do, 
collectively, from the hottest parts, of the 
world, they are essentially heat-requirmg 
plants—in fact, they will bear as much as 
any plant in cultivation; and, although 
they may exist in a temperature not 
sufficiently high, we should not recommend 
their cultivation where there is not the 
means of keeping them hot enough, not 
only in the summer but also in the winter, 
for to arrive at the highest point of success 
they should be kept growing slowly even 
in winter, as if growth is ever completely 
stopped through insufficient heat, they are 
almost certain to get into a stunted con- 
dition, from which it takes a considerable 
portion of the spring to get them out. 
Another advantage, when enough warmth 
is used, is that some or other of the kinds 
may be had in flower all the year round. 
They strike freely from cuttings taken off 
at any time of the year when young half- 
ripened wood can be obtained. We prefer 
the strongest cuttings that can be got, as they 
make plants much quicker than weaker ones. 
Take them off at the latter end of February 
or beginning of March, and insert them 
singly in small pots two-thirds filled with 
sandy peat, the remaining portion being 
