254 
Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 
MUSSANDA. 
produce specimens that will branch out 
and hide the surface of the pots {in which 
way this and subjects of similar habit al- 
ways look best), it is necessary to stop the 
young plants in their first stages. Directly 
they have again fairly broken into growth 
they will have made roots enough to 
require a shift ; pots 2 inches or 3 inches 
larger will be big enough ; drain suffi- 
ciently. It will succeed in either peat or 
loam, but we prefer the latter, as in it the 
erowth is more robust, and the plant is 
able when in flower during the summer to 
bear removal to a lower temperature than 
that in which it has been grown, a condi- 
tion that we have invariably found existing 
to a greater extent in loam-grown, heat- 
requiring plants than in such as are culti- 
vated in peat. The loam should be of a 
good ordinary description, containing a fair 
amount of turfy matter not broken too 
fine, and with enough sand added to admit 
of the water passing quickly through it. 
Pot moderately firm and keep the plants 
where they will be exposed to the full 
light, with a slight shade in the middle of 
the day. 
This Musseenda being found in the hot 
parts of India requires a brisk heat to 
grow freely. Admit a moderate quantity 
of air during the middle of the day, shut 
up so as to enclose a considerable amount 
of sun-heat, syringe overhead, and at the 
same time maintain a genial atmosphere. 
It must never be allowed to want for water 
in the soil, for, although it is not a delicate- 
rooted subject, and a hard condition is 
assumed by the old wood, the young shoots 
are always comparatively soft, and allow- 
ing it to flag through an insufficiency of 
moisture has a stunting effect, which limits 
the growth and in the same proportion its 
ability to flower. As growth progresses, 
tie the shoots to neat sticks inserted just 
within the rims of the pots, and again 
pinch out the points about the end of July ; 
then shift into pots 3 inches larger, after 
which time continue to treat as before 
until the beginning of September, when 
dispense with the shading, and by the end 
of the month cease syringing, giving more 
air so as to gradually bring about a state of 
rest, to still further induce which reduce 
the temperature. Keep through the winter 
at about 60° in the night, with a little 
more by day, and give just as much water 
as will maintain the soil in a semi-moist 
condition. As soon as growth has fairly 
commenced shift into pots 2 inches larger, 
using enough sticks to keep the shoots 
evenly balanced, and again commence 
syringing overhead. The points must not 
now be pinched out, as it would delay 
the flowering ; give proportionately more 
heat as the days lengthen, with a little 
shade when the sun is powerful. Towards 
the end of April the plants will show 
bloom ; this will be indicated by the ap- 
pearance of the white bracts, which will 
go on developing until the flowers expand. 
If kept in the stove they will bloom a 
second time towards the end of summer : 
consequently we should not advise their 
being moved at this first flowering to 
cooler quarters. When done blooming do 
not shorten the shoots, but simply pick off 
the decayed bracts and flowers, and at the 
same time give the plants a good syringing. 
They will now bear as much heat as is 
given to the generality of stove plants, and 
will recommence growth immediately. 
When two or three pairs of leaves have 
been made, they will again show flowers, 
which may be expected to arrive at matu- 
rity by the latter end of summer, at which 
time they can be moved to the warmest part 
of the conservatory ; but while here, like 
most other stove subjects, they should not 
be placed where they will be under the 
influence of external air admitted directly 
in contact with them. When they are in 
cooler quarters give no more water than is 
sufficient to keep them from flagging. After 
the blooming is over shorten the shoots 
back to about one-half the length that has 
been made during the season, and at once 
return the plants to the stove, where they 
will again break into growth, although not 
much progress will be made till spring. 
Winter as before, and give a 2-inch or 3-inch 
shift as soon as the plants are fairly in 
motion in spring. Treat as in the previous 
season. When the first flowering is over 
they will be considerably benefited by the 
application of manure-water once a week. 
Let the autumn and winter management 
be similar to that previously advised, and 
when the time for potting in spring comes, 
shake out a portion of the old soil, replace 
with new, and return the plants to the 
same pots, which will be large enough for 
all ordinary purposes. As soon as the 
roots have got fairly hold of the new 
material, supply manure-water regularly 
through the growing season, by which 
means the plants may be kept for years in 
a healthy condition, a portion of the old 
soil being replaced by new each spring. 
InsEcts.—Most of those which attack 
stove plants will live on this Musszenda, 
although they do not appear so partial to 
it as some things. The leaves are some- 
what thin in texture, and are soon injured 
by red spider, but if in the syringing ad- 
vised the water is got well to the under- 
sides of the leaves they will never gain a 
