310 
Insects.—The leathery texture of the 
leaves prevents their becoming a prey to 
many insects, but scale sometimes attaches 
itself to them and the creeping stems ; 
when it appears it can best be removed by 
sponging. 
SARMIENTA REPENS. 
A creeping evergreen stove Gesnerad. 
Like most allied species it is easy to 
manage, and may be grown in a pot with 
the shoots supported by sticks, or in a pot 
or basket suspended from the roof, with 
the shoots allowed to hang down ; or, if in 
a basket, trained round it so as to cover 
the surface. In this way they have a 
pretty effect when not kept too close, 
letting the points of the shoots have 
liberty. Thus treated, its red flowers are 
seen to advantage. It requires the same 
treatment as Columneas, which see. It 
comes from Chili. 
SARRACENIA. 
Among the singular forms now and then 
assumed by plants, few can match the Sar- 
racenias, or Side-saddle Plants, as regards 
grotesque shape and beautiful leaf colour- 
ing, and this wholly independent of their 
equally curious and beautiful flowers, 
which, like the plants, are entirely diffe- 
rent from those of all others. All the 
species have hollow leaves more or less 
extended, and succeed best in an inter- 
mediate temperature ; some, like S. pur- 
purea, are stout, short, and much distended, 
others, like the different forms of S. Drum- 
mondii, funnel or horn shaped, and as 
much as 3 or 4 feet in length when well 
grown ; in all the leaf-blade is more or 
less extended, so as to form a lid to the 
mouth of the pitcher—not very decided in 
S. purpurea, but large and completely over- 
lapping the orifice in some of the varieties 
of S. flava. The whole of the family 
belong to what have recently been called 
Insectivorous plants. The Sarracenias are 
easily grown, if their wants are fairly well 
supplied. Where failure occurs it is mostly 
traceable to their being kept too warm. 
An intermediate temperature both summer 
and winter suits them best, although some 
of the kinds, such as S. purpurea, will 
grow in a cold frame or even live out-of- 
doors in certain places, but its appearance 
is not nearly so good as when grown in a 
little heat. A night temperature of 48° or 
50° in winter, and 60° in summer at night, 
and from 70° to 75° in the daytime will be 
found to suit them. 
Soil is another most important matter. 
Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 
SARRACENTA. 
The fibrous material with all the earthy 
matter shaken out of the best Orchid peat, 
added to an equal part of chopped sphag- 
num and a good sprinkling of potsherds or 
charcoal, with a little sand, should be used. 
The crowns should be divided about the 
beginning of February before the roots 
have begun to move ; they may be potted 
singly, or grown several together in pots 
proportionate in size to the numbers oc- 
cupying each. A 4 or 6 inch pot is big 
enough for a single crown. The pots 
should be one-third filled with drainage, 
and the material pressed moderately firm 
about the roots, giving them immediately 
as much water as will soak the whole. 
The plants should then be stood on some 
moisture-holding medium ; the nearer the 
glass they are the stouter they will grow, 
and.the higher coloured the pitchers will 
come. They are swamp plants, and should 
be watered twice a week in winter, and 
every day through the growing season—at 
all times the soil should be kept quite wet- 
If shade is given in summer it should be 
with very thin material, and none is re- 
quired unless the sun is found to burn 
the leaves. They are better not syringed 
overhead, as water applied in this way to 
the tall-growing kinds makes the pitchers 
weak and scarcely able to suppart them- 
selves. They look the best when a number 
of crowns are grown together, say as many 
as will occupy a 14 or 15 inch pot. It is 
important that they should have the whole 
of the material shaken away once a year 
and replaced with new, or it will get sour 
and cause rotting of the roots, a condition 
from which the plants take years to re- 
cover. All the kinds, except the different — 
forms of §. Drummondii, should be re- 
potted about the time mentioned for pro- 
pagation by division of the crowns, that is, 
before growth commences. The varieties. 
of 8. Drummondii ought to be potted in 
July, as the principal season of producing 
their pitcher-like leaves is in autumn. 
The spring growth of these varieties is 
mostly confined to leaves that do not deve- 
lop to pitchers, although when very strong 
they will produce a number of pitchers 
along with the other leaves in spring. 
If the shaking out and potting is done 
after any root-growth has begun, the 
pitchers that follow are liable to be de- 
formed. Propagation by pieces of the 
root-stems should be carried out at the 
time of the winter potting. If the plants 
are wanted to gain strength fast, the 
flower-stems should be pinched out as soon 
as they appear. 
All the undermentioned kinds are well 
worth growing :— 
