PHORMIUM. 
Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 
279 
allowed to remain on, or it will interfere 
with their making growth for the ensuing 
season’s flowering. Their autumn treat- 
ment will need to be as before, but in the 
winter they will require more careful 
tying, so as to put them in proper form 
for flowering the following season, when, 
if all goes well, they should make nice 
small blooming specimens. 
Pot them again in April ; it will in no 
way interfere with their flowering, provid- 
ing it is done with care and the plants are 
not allowed to suffer either from the want 
of water or from receiving too much until 
the roots get hold of the new soil. The 
flowers should not be allowed to remain 
upon the plants more than six weeks after 
opening, otherwise they will interfere with 
the ensuing season’s blooming ; it is to this 
cause that is generally attributable the lack 
of flowers upon these plants two seasons in 
succession. By the autumn they will have 
made such progress as to be large enough 
for exhibition specimens the ensuing sum- 
mer if required. Keep them near the 
glass through the winter, which has the 
effect of causing many shoots to flower that 
otherwise would not ; this is often the case 
with plants of the character of the Phceno- 
coma that do not bloom from the mature 
wood of the previous season’s growth, but 
keep on growing all the year, and flower 
from the points of comparatively soft 
shoots. Tie and put them into shape 
during the winter. As to potting this 
season in the spring, or deferring it until 
after they have flowered, that can best be 
determined in the case of each individual 
plant. Any that appear as if they would 
suffer for want of sustenance at the root by 
being very large and strong, proportionate 
with the size of the pot they already 
occupy, had better be potted on as hitherto 
in April; but where the reverse is the 
case, 1t will be well to defer the operation 
until they have flowered, or even till the 
spring following, for, although it is always 
wise to give a plant in its younger stages 
all the root-space requisite to get it on in 
size as quickly as possible, yet, when once 
a good start has been effected up to a 
certain size, determinable in the case of 
each particular species of plant, it is better 
not to transfer it into a larger pot more 
quickly than requisite. This, of course, 
applies to such as the species under con- 
sideration, which do not admit of being 
shaken out, or of a reduction of the ball 
being made, so as to renew the soil, as may 
be done with coarse-rooted plants that will 
bear partial disrooting. 
If they do not receive larger pots until 
the ensuing spring let the transfer be made 
by the end of March, as, now that the 
plants have attained size, they cannot be 
removed with so little disturbance of the 
roots as when smaller, and if the potting is 
deferred until later it may have the effect 
of injuring the season’s bloom. It must 
be borne in mind that this plant can never 
be induced to flower freely if under-potted. 
The quantity of bloom produced will de- 
pend upon the strength of the plant. It 
is liable in time to get bare and denuded 
of leaves at the bottom, and in such state 
is very unsightly, but if the branches have 
been kept trained down as advised, there 
can be no difficulty in covering this defect, 
for, with the exception of their being liable 
to split off at their junction as already 
stated they will bend freely in any direc- 
tion. 
There are two forms of Phcenocoma— 
the old kind, now seldom seen, which is 
a shy flowerer ; and the one most generally 
met with, Barnes’ variety (Phcenocoma 
prolifera Barnesii), which has much larger 
flowers and is stronger in its growth. It 
may be easily recognised in small plants, 
if strong, as the lateral branches are de- 
pressed, giving each vigorous shoot much 
the appearance of a miniature specimen of 
Spruce Fir; this is much the finer variety. 
Insects.—Phcenocomas are but little 
subject to the attacks of insects ; though 
oceasionally red spider will make its ap- 
pearance upon them, in which case the 
plants should be laid down on their sides, 
and thoroughly syringed with clean water 
three or four times, at intervals of a few 
days. They must never be allowed to 
stand, especially in the autumn and winter, 
where anything in the shape of dead leaves 
from other plants can fall upon them, for, 
as these decompose, they will communicate 
mould to the foliage of the plants. 
PHORMIUM’'TENAX. 
This plant is known as the New Zealand 
Flax ; it is nearly hardy in the southern 
parts of the kingdom. _ Its erect, straight, 
sword-like leaves have a distinct appear- 
ance associated with flowering, or other 
fine-leaved kinds. Its habit of growth is like 
that of the common hardy Flag Ivis, and it 
is propagated by division of the crowns in 
spring before growth commences ; these 
may either be divided singly, or kept 
several together, in either case pots big 
enough to sustain the season’s growth 
should be given. Treatment such as 
suited to the general occupants of the 
greenhouse, in the matters of light, air, and 
water, is what is required, as the plant is 
easily managed. All further needed is to 
