346 
Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 
ZEPHYRANTHES. 
several together in shallow pans or pots, 
in sand, and stand in a moderate stove 
heat, say 60° in the night, with a rise by 
day; keep the sand slightly moist, but 
not covered with a propagating glass. If 
the cuttings are put in during spring 
before growth begins, they will make 
roots and push up shoots in the course of 
the summer, when move them singly into 
pots large enough to hold them, with a 
moderate amount of peaty soil; keep them 
on during the ensuing winter and the 
following summer in an intermediate tem- 
perature, by which means they will make 
much more growth than in a greenhouse, 
and time will be gained. Give more root- 
room as required, but do not over-pot ; 
give plenty of light and air in the daytime, 
with water to the roots as needed. The 
thick, fleshy root-formation which many 
of the species of Yucca produce, and which 
ultimately emit leaves if taken off when 2 
or 3 inches long, and treated as advised for 
the stem cuttings, will make plants. 
If well attended te Yuccas will last in 
good condition for many years, retaining 
their leaves in a healthy condition down 
to the base. 
The following are all handsome kinds :— 
Y. albo-spica. A pretty medium-sized 
sort. A native of Mexico. 
Y. aloifolia. A green-leaved species, 
from South America. 
Y. alovfolia variegata. 
variegated form of the above. 
Y. concava. A handsome sort, with 
stout habit of growth. 
Y. De Smetiana. A distinct-looking, and 
desirable kind, very scarce. 
Y. filamentosa. A species with elegantly 
drooping leaves. North America. 
Y. filamentosa variegata. A variegated 
and beautiful form of the last-named. 
This kind, although it will grow in a 
greenhouse, and in common with several 
others, will live out-of-doors, does best in 
stove heat altogether, attaining a much 
larger size and a more elegant curve of the 
leaves than when grown cool. 
Y. filifera. A distinct-looking species. 
Y. glauca. as distinct glaucous leaves. 
Y. quadricolor. A beautiful variegated 
kind, of moderate growth. Mexico. 
Y. quadricolor Stokes. A handsome 
form of the preceding. 
Insects.—Insects give little trouble on 
these plants, but scale, both brown and 
white, will live on them, and where pre- 
sent must be removed by sponging. 
A handsome 
ZAMIA. 
Cycadaceous plants of noble appearance ; 
their leaves, like those of the rest of the 
order, are of a hard whale-bone like 
texture, and very enduring. They rank 
among the handsomest fine-leaved plants 
in cultivation. Their cultural require- 
ments are the same as Cycas, which see. 
Z. crassifolia. A comparatively short- 
leaved kind, that forms a compact head. 
From Mexico. 
Z. eriolepis. A distinct-looking species, 
with moderate-sized leaves, the pinne 
armed with spines. 
Z. Miquelii. Leaves erect and twisted, 
bright green in colour; it forms a short 
thick stem. From Queensland. 
Z. Skinnerit. This forms a stem of 
moderate length ; the leaves are from one 
and a half to three feet in length, not so 
erect as those of many of the species. A 
native of Panama. 
ZEPHYRANTHES. 
In these we have a fine genus of green- 
house bulbous plants of small growth ; they 
produce large, handsome flowers, and are 
worthy of a place in every greenhouse. 
They are increased by offsets which 
should be taken off early in spring before 
they begin to grow. The bulbs are com- 
paratively small, and to make the plants 
effective eight or ten should be grown to- 
gether ; consequently half a dozen of the 
offsets may be put in a 4 or 5 inch pot, 
drained and filled with good loam and peat 
in equal proportions with a little sand. 
Stand them in an ordinary greenhouse 
temperature, giving plenty of light, with 
air in the day, and water as required to 
keep the soil moderately moist. Continue 
to treat in this way through the summer 
until the leaves are matured, when give 
less water, but never let the soil get quite 
dry. <A shelf in a cool greenhouse will 
suit them best through the winter; in 
spring give pots a size or two larger. In 
potting make the soil quite solid, and 
manage through the summer generally as 
in the preceding. The plants will this 
season make much more progress, produc- 
ing larger leaves, and increasing propor- 
tionately in size of bulbs. Winter as 
before, and move into larger pots in spring, 
but like most bulbs they must not be over- 
potted. Some of the strongest will most 
likely bloom during the spring, after which 
erow them on as before, and continue to 
treat as so far advised. 
In time the bulbs will increase so as to 
require not only the offsets removed, but 
also the larger flowering portion divided : 
this must be done at the same season as 
advised for starting the offsets, before any 
