314 
Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 
SOLANUM., 
the day, but do not keep them too cool, 
especially at night, as, in common with all 
stove subjects that flower in the autumn or 
winter, if deficient of warmth the blooms 
will be thin and indifferent. Keep the 
heads of the plants close to the glass from 
the time the flowers are formed, and if the 
pots are very full of roots use weak manure- 
water once a week. After blooming, unless 
large specimens are wanted, it will not be 
necessary to retain more of the old plants 
than are sufficient to furnish stock for 
cuttings ; keep them with the soil only a 
little moist through the time that inter- 
venes from the flowering until they are 
again started into growth, during which 
period a temperature of from 55° to 60° at 
night will maintain them in health. 
Iysects.—This plant is not much sub- 
ject to insects, but aphides, red spider, and 
thrips will sometimes attack it ; for these 
fumigate with tobacco or dip in tobacco- 
water. 
SMILAX. 
Evergreen stove climbers suitable for 
covering walls or pillars or draping the 
roofs of large stoves. They are not much 
in favour, as in most cases plants of a 
more attractive character can be employed. 
Where grown, unless they have plenty of 
room for the shoots to extend, they should 
not have over much root space, although 
they do better planted out than when con- 
fined in pots. 
They are easily increased by suckers 
which they produce freely ; these should 
be taken off in spring, before the plants 
begin to grow, and put singly in 5 or 
6 inch pots. They will thrive in either 
peat or loam, and an intermediate heat is 
sufficient for them. After the young plants 
have been grown for a year in pots they 
may be planted out. 
The following are suitable for using in 
the way described :— 
S. longifolia variegata. A distinct-look- 
ing plant ; in colour the leaves are a com- 
bination of deep and greyish green. From 
Para. 
S. Shuttleworth. A new species; the 
ground colour of the leaves is green, with 
greyish-white markings. 
Insects.—If well attended to with the 
syringe through the growing season little 
trouble need be anticipated from insects. 
SOLANUM. 
(Berry-bearing.) 
Among the large number of Solanums 
existent there are two especially worth 
growing for the pretty appearance of 
their fruit, S. capsicastrum and 8. pseudo- 
capsicum, the red berries of which render 
the plants so effective in the autumn 
and winter months. They are evergreen 
greenhouse plants that flower and produce 
their berries profusely in a small state. 
They are often raised from seeds which 
germinate freely if stood in a temperature 
of 60° or 65°. Afterwards pot singly, and 
grow on during spring in an intermediate 
temperature. Through the summer put 
them in cold pits or frames, or plant them 
out in the open ground, taking up and 
potting in September. But as there is 
considerable difference in plants raised 
from seed in the quantity of berries they 
bear it is best to select the freest fruiters, 
and propagate from them by shoot cut- 
tings. To have the berries ripe and fully 
coloured in autumn the cuttings should be 
struck by the end of the year; the soft 
points of the shoots root in a few weeks in 
a temperature of 65°, kept moist and close, 
after which move them singly to smalk 
pots; good loam with a little leaf-mould 
and sand suits them in every way. Keep 
in a temperature similar to that in which 
the cuttings were struck, and pinch out 
the points of the shoots as soon as they 
begin to grow, standing them near the 
glass with a little air in the day. Con- 
tinue to treat in this way until March, 
when they will be ready for moving to 
6-inch pots, in which they are to remain ; 
previous to potting again stop the points 
of the shoots so as to secure bushy growth, 
which is essential to the appearance the 
plants should have when in fruit. Keep 
up a growing temperature by the aid of 
fire heat until the middle of April, after 
which no further assistance in this way 
will be needed. Cool greenhouse treat- 
ment is all these Solanums require, and 
the heat so far advised is only used with a 
view to get the young plants on in size 
sufliciently to cause them to bloom early 
enough so that their berries may have 
time to grow and ripen by autumn. Plants 
that are not wanted to have their berries 
ripe before the end of the year may be 
struck a little later. By the middle of 
May a cold pit will answer for them ; air 
should be given freely in the daytime, 
with a little shade when sunny, and plenty 
of water to the soil ; syringe freely every 
afternoon—this must be done regularly 
and thoroughly to keep clear of red spider, 
to which the plants are subject, and which, 
if present, quickly spoils the foliage. Con- 
tinue this treatment through the summer, 
standing them close to the glass. By Sep- 
tember the berries will be fast putting on 
