262 
if getting larger than needful, they can be 
headed down, and as soon asa little growth 
has been made a good portion of the old 
soil may be shaken from the roots, and the 
plants replaced in the same pots, in new ; 
afterwards grow them on as before, and 
by the liberal use of manure-water they 
may be kept going for a couple of years 
without repotting, when younger stock can 
be grown on to supply their place. 
Where Neriums are required for flower- 
ing in a small state the best method is to 
keep a large plant or two, grow them on 
each season, and then ripen up in the open 
air as above recommended ; when the 
flowers show on the points of the shoots 
cut these off about 8 inches in length, and 
strike them singly in 6-inch pots, using 
soil similar to that advised for growing 
them in; put them in a gentle bottom- 
heat, and keep the tops as cool as possible, 
give plenty of water and a little shade. 
So treated they will quickly form an 
abundance of roots, when they may gradu- 
ally be inured to a greenhouse tempera- 
ture, in which let them remain through 
the winter ; in spring they can, as wanted, 
be either allowed to come into flower 
slowly or brought on in a little warmth, 
as recommended for the larger plants, after 
which they may be potted and grown on 
as required. 
The following are all well worth a 
place :— 
N. album. White. 
N. splendens. Reddish pink. 
N. variegatum. Striped. 
Insects.—Should aphides or thrips make 
their appearance, fumigate with tobacco ; 
the syringing recommended is generally 
sufficient to keep them free from red 
spider ; if they get affected with scale it 
can be removed with sponge and brush. 
NICOTIANA AFFINIS. 
A pretty white-flowered greenhouse 
plant, that keeps on blooming for a length 
of time, through the summer and autumn. 
It is nearly allied to the tobacco of com- 
merce, but quite different in appearance ; 
it is much like a single form of Petunia, 
the tube of the flowers being much longer. 
It is raised from seeds, sown, and treated 
afterwards in every way as recommended 
for Petunias, which see. 
NIDULARIUM. 
These are small-growing stove plants, 
belonging to the order of Bromeliads. 
They are very compact growers, in general 
appearance much hke the Tillandsias and 
Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 
NIDULARIUM. 
ichmeas, to which they are nearly allied. 
The flowers are produced similarly from 
the crown or centre of the plant ; those of 
several of the species are very singular in 
appearance, nestling in a close, compact 
mass, like the head of a Cauliflower before 
it opens. The flowers are preceded by a 
number of small, brilliantly coloured 
leaves. The plants are easily grown, 
provided they receive a sufficient amount 
of heat, with a moist atmosphere and a 
little shade. They are increased from 
suckers produced like others of the Brome- 
liaceous family. These should be taken 
off from the parent plants after being 
allowed to remain attached until they have 
got sufficient strength—in fact, it is better 
not to separate them before they have 
erown to near the full size, as growth is 
much quicker while supported by the old 
crowns. The roots are of a tough, wiry 
nature ; good fibrous peat, such as suitable 
for Orchids, will answer for them, adding 
a sprinkling of broken crocks or charcoal ; 
4-inch or 5-inch pots are large enough at 
first, and the suckers should be kept moist 
after they are severed from the parent 
plants. If separated in the spring they 
will get established sooner; give them a 
corner of the stove away from any current 
of air, with a temperature of about 65° or 
70° in the night through the summer. 
They do best in a fairly hght position, but 
should be shaded from the sun when it is 
powerful ; syringe them overhead daily, 
and always allow the water that collects in 
the hollow crown to remain. They will 
not require any more pot-room during the 
first summer; 60° by night will answer 
through the winter, and they should never 
be allowed to get dry at the roots. 
In the spring when the heat is again in- 
creased give them pots a size larger, using 
soil similar to the first ; if they gain suffi- 
cient strength, the plants will flower to- 
wards the end of summer, but, unless 
the suckers were strong when taken 
off, they may require another season’s 
growth before blooming. The tuft of 
coloured leaves and the flowers which fol- 
low collectively retain their colour for 
many weeks, and have an extremely pretty 
and distinct appearance. After blooming 
treat in every way as before, so as to en- 
courage the production of suckers, retain- 
ing the old stools after the first are removed, 
as they will generally make a second growth; 
this is the more necessary, as these Nidu- 
lariums increase slowly. _ 
N. cyaneum. This species has compara- 
tively large leaves, 20 inches long, green 
ground colour spotted with brown, under 
surface banded with greyish white ; flowers. 
