316 
overhead in the afternoons, shutting up 
early enough to close in a good amount of 
sun-heat. The plants require little stop- 
ping, but should any of the shoots take a 
decided lead it will be necessary to shorten 
them back to encourage the weaker ones ; 
they will want attention from time to time 
in training the shoots regularly round the 
outsides of the sticks, otherwise, from the 
natural twining habit of the plants, they 
will lay hold of each other in such a way 
that it will be difficult to separate them 
without injury. Little shade is necessary, 
as from the leathery nature of their leaves 
they are able to bear exposure to the sun. 
From the naturally moderate growth of 
the plants it is not absolutely necessary to 
give them another shift through the sum- 
mer, except in the case of any that may 
happen to be unusually vigorous—these 
may have pots a couple of inches larger 
vbout the end of June, and the roots 
will thus have sufficient time to get full 
possession of the soil before autumn. 
Cease using the syringe by the middle of 
August, and give plenty of air both day 
and night. Winter them in a temperature 
suitable for ordinary greenhouse stock, 
anything from 35° to 45° will suit them, 
as they are neither subject to mildew 
from a low temperature nor liable to be 
started into growth with a few degrees 
more heat. Keep the soil in a medium 
condition as to moisture through the 
winter, the roots are not so sensitive in 
this respect as many, and this renders 
them, hike Rhynchospermum jasminoides, 
and a few others of similar character, very 
suitable for beginners in the cultivation of 
hardwooded greenhouse plants. Again, 
about the same time as the preceding 
spring, give another shift, if satisfactory 
progress has been made they will again 
stand about 3 inches more root-room ; use 
the soil with as much fibre in it as possible 
so as to enable it to last long. It will now 
be necessary to determine in what way the 
plants are to be grown; if for a pillar, or 
over the front lights of a greenhouse, some 
wires should be placed to train them to. 
With these, as with all plants of like 
habit, it is better to tie the shoots than to 
allow them to cling to the supports by 
twining, as when the latter takes place 
removal, should it be necessary, either for 
the purpose of changing their position or 
of cleansing from insects, is invariably 
effected at a sacrifice of some of the 
branches. If the plants are required for 
pot specimens a moderate-sized wire trellis 
will be the best to grow them on ; in this 
case also prevent them from becoming 
twined round the wires, and be mindful 
Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 
SONERILA, 
to clothe the bottom of the trellis first 
before allowing the shoots to ascend up- 
wards or the lower portion can never be 
covered satisfactorily. Little more will 
be required except routine treatment, such 
as already advised, in giving more root- 
room when needed. As in the case of 
most plants of a similar character weak 
liquid manure during the growing season 
will be found beneficial. 
From Australia. 
A native of New Hol- ° 
S. Drummondit. 
S. heterophylla. 
land. 
S. linearis. From Swan River. 
Insects.—The tough leathery leaves 
afford little sustenance to such as red spider, 
thrips, or greenfly ; where the syringe is 
ea as advised during the summer months 
these are seldom troublesome, but should 
aphides attack the young shoots dip in 
tobacco or quassia water, or fumigate. 
Scale must be diligently sought for and 
removed by sponging, or the heads of the 
plants may be wholly dipped when at rest 
in.a strong solution of insecticide. 
SONERILA MARGARITACEA. 
This is a particularly handsome small- 
growing stove plant, the bright pink 
flowers with prominent yellow anthers 
contrasting admirably with the lovely 
spotted leaves. It is a spreading, low- 
growing, semi-herbaceous Melastomad, 
which attains a height of 8 inches or 9 
inches. It flowers early in the spring and 
lasts in bloom two or three weeks, during 
which time it is one of the prettiest of 
stove plants. Even when out of flower, 
a well-grown Sonerila is always attractive, 
its dense mass of small leaves profusely 
studded with milk-white spots looking like 
pearls set in bright green. It is a native 
of India, and in order to grow well re- 
quires a brisk heat and a somewhat moist 
atmosphere. It thrives best in fibrous peat 
broken small and mixed with about one- 
fourth of chopped sphagnum, to which a 
liberal proportion of sand should be added, 
with a good sprinkling of crocks. 
It strikes readily in the spring from 
pieces of the shoots inserted in small pots 
half full of crocks, the remainder being 
filled up with material such as that already 
described. The cuttings should be kept 
moist and covered with a bell-glass in a 
temperature of 70° ; they will root in two 
or three weeks. When the young plants 
have got fairly established move them into 
larger pots or deep pans, as to get a good 
specimen in the least time its branching 
procumbent shoots should have room to 
spread over the soil, into which they will 
