294 
Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 
PRATIA, 
as to lay the foundation of bushy speci- 
mens. 
By the middle of August they should 
have made sufficient progress to require 
shifting into 6-inch or 7-inch pots, after 
which encourage them to make growth, so 
that their roots may get well hold of the 
soil before the short days necessitate a re- 
duction of the temperature. During the 
growing season syringe overhead daily, but 
discontinue this, and also shading, by the 
middle of September; after that time 
gradually reduce the heat to 60° at night 
and keep them correspondingly cooler by 
day ; continue in this way throughout the 
winter, giving them less water at the roots, 
but yet not allowing the soil to get so dry 
as to cause the leaves to flag. 
In spring raise the temperature, and 
move them into pots 3 or 4 inches larger 
than those they are in ; treat them in other 
respects as in the previous summer. They 
may be expected to bloom about mid- 
summer, and, in addition to their hand- 
some appearance, will give an agreeable 
perfume to the house. 
After they have done flowering, shorten 
the shoots and encourage them to make 
growth before autumn ; to help this 
manure-water should be given once a week 
until the middle of September. Treat 
through the winter as before, and in spring 
turn them out of their pots, removea little of 
the old soil from the top of the balls, and give 
pots 2 or 3 inches larger. Apply more heat 
as the summer advances. This second 
season they will have grown large enough 
to produce a fine head of bloom ; when 
they have done flowering, again shorten 
the shoots and treat in other respects’ as 
hitherto recommended. The plants will 
last for several years if the soil is partially 
renewed each spring when they are potted ; 
and they are assisted through the active 
season of growth with manure-water. 
InsEcts.—Posoquerias are liable to be 
affected by most of the insects that attack 
stove plants. These must be kept in check 
by freely syringing with tepid water, 
which will be sufficient to remove all 
except mealy bug and scale ; should these 
oot appear dip in or syringe with insecti- 
cide. 
POTHOS. 
These are distinct-looking stove plants 
that emit roots from the stem, and like 
Ivy, attach them to anything they can lay 
hold of. They are useful for ‘covering 
walls, and are easily grown. All that is 
necessary is to take off pieces of the shoots 
and place them singly in pots—this may 
be done at any time of the year, but best 
in spring ; they should be kept moderately 
close and moist, until the roots lay hold of 
the soil, after which grow on in a medium 
stove heat until the shoots have made con- 
siderable progress, when they may be 
planted out in a bed or removed to large 
pots. They are moderately strong growers, 
and if confined to pots must not be pinched 
for room. 
P. argyrea. A well-known, free-grow- 
ing kind, with handsome foliage. It comes. 
from the West Indies. 
P. argyrea macrophylla. A distinct- 
looking form of P. argyrewa ; an equally 
free vigorous grower. 
P. aurea. <A distinct and handsome 
species ; the leaves are a combination of 
deep and light green, with large pale yel- 
low blotches. It comes from the Solomon 
Islands. 
P. flecwosa. A new species, with habit 
much like that of Marcgravia, the leaves 
alternating from right to left, they are 
about 6 inches in length, oblong-acuminate, 
pale green in colour, and lay quite flat on 
the surface to which the stems attach them- 
selves. From India. 
Insects.—A good syringing daily through 
the growing season will usually keep them 
free from the attacks of the different kinds 
of insects ; but, if this is not found suffi- 
cient, sponging will be the safest remedy, 
as the succulent character of the leaves is. 
such that they do not well bear the appli- 
cation of insecticide. 
PRATIA. 
These are greenhouse herbaceous plants 
of a somewhat interesting character. They 
are of moderate growth, and flower freely 
if grown ina good light house. They are 
increased by division of the roots in'spring 
before growth begins ; if the portions taken 
off the parent plants are large enough they 
may at once be placed in good-sized pots, 
tying the shoots as they advance to sticks 
for support. ; 
P. begoniefolia. Has blue flowers; it 
blooms in the summer, and comes from 
Nepal. ; 
P. corymbosa. Flowers white, produced 
in summer. From the Cape of Good Hope. 
P. littoralis. A summer bloomer, the 
best of the genus. 
InsEcts.—Both aphides and red spider 
are partial to these plants ; for the destrue- 
tion of the former fumigate, and use the 
syringe regularly in summer to keep down 
the spider. 
