18 



Gretnhoiise and Store Plants. 



in flower for having longer growth), and 

 may be turned out of doors and exposed to 

 the open air for six or eight weeks, accord- 

 ing to the state of the weather. These 

 will again come in for the first blooming, 

 and may be started as before early in the in- 

 coming year. The later flowered plants, if 

 it is desired to keep them back, should in the 

 autumn be placed in a north house, or other 

 situation where they will not get more heat 

 in the night all through the season than just 

 sufl[icient to keep out frost. They will not 

 sufl"er from this treatment, as they are not 

 subject to mildew. By being thus retarded 

 through the winter and spring, these Acacias 

 can be kept back until the beginning of 

 May. It is well to retard a portion of the 

 plants as late as may be, as they are much 

 more useful in succession. After flower- 

 ing, cut well back to \^dthin six or eight 

 inches of where they were shortened to the 

 preceding year. This will tend to keep 

 them from getting too large, and will pre- 

 vent their becoming bare of leaves. When 

 they have broken, a portion may be 

 moved on into larger pots, and some kept 

 for the season in those they already occupy, 

 and assisted whilst making growth with 

 manure-water. Treat through the autumn 

 and winter as before, and at the time of 

 tying be careful to keep them in regular 

 shape. These plants have a natural ten- 

 dency to a somewhat upiight habit ; it is 

 well to let them assume this form so long 

 as they are kept properly furnished at the 

 bottom, and so trained they aff'ord an 

 acceptable contrast to otlier things of more 

 dwaif-spreading growth. They may, by 

 being well cut back, as advised, each 

 spring, and by a liberal use of manure- 

 water whilst growing, be kept in good con- 

 dition for years without the necessity for too 

 large pots. If they happen to get bare at 

 the bottom, they wiU do with cutting well 

 back, and when the young growth has 

 pushed a couple of inches the plants may 

 have a part of the soil shaken from the 

 roots, a portion of the latter cut away, 

 placed in suitable pots, encouraged to 

 make growth, and the strongest shoots 

 stopped back, as in the case of young 

 stock. 



The undermentioned are bushy-habited 

 kinds, siiitable for pot specimens : — 



A. armata. A stout-growing, free- 

 flowering, bright yellow species that forces 

 well. Australia. 



A. armata pendula. A drooping-habited 

 form of the above. 



A. Drummondii. The most efi"ective of 

 all as a pot i:)lant ; of more slender habit 

 than the preceding. Flowers pale yellow. 

 Swan River. 



The following sorts are fine foi' planting 

 out in conservatories, and very suitable for 

 occupying a corner or wall ; so treated, in- 

 stead of being stopped they should be en- 

 couraged to glow from the first with a clear 

 stem, and the side shoots should be kept 

 cut in, so as to induce the plants to get up. 

 They look the best when not too closely 

 trained into the wall or pillar, where they 

 may happen to be used, but allowed to 

 hang in a somewhat irregular manner, 

 merely kept from encroaching upon any- 

 thing near them. The great advantage in 

 growing these plants in such situations is, 

 that they can be cut into Avhatever space 

 they may be required to fill, without sufi"er- 

 iug any injury ; they do not, when so 

 planted out, want a deal of room to grow 

 in, merely needing, as the soil gets ex- 

 hausted, the removal of a portion of the 

 top and its rej^lacing by new, and the 

 assistance through the growing season of 

 manure water. 



A. dealbata. A large, strong-growing 

 kind, that produces a profusion of lemon- 

 coloured flowers. New Holland. 



A. grandis. A handsome species, with 

 bright yellow flowers. Swan River. 



A. longifolia. A beautiful, slender- 

 wooded sort. Flowers pale yellow. Au- 

 stralia. 



A. lophantha. A strong grower, that 

 produces its yellow flowers freely. It is 

 equally desirable for its ample Fern-like 

 foliage, than which nothing can be more 

 beautiful for mixing with flowers in lai'ge 

 vases or epergnes, where it lasts fairly 

 well. Australia. 



A. pubcscens. An elegant, fine-leaved 

 kind, with charming bright yellow flowers. 

 Australia. 



A. Riceana. A tall grower, with droop- 

 ing habit. Flowers yellow. Tasmania. 



Insects. — Whenever these Acacias are 

 peimanently grown in a conservatory, or 

 other plant-house, care should be taken 

 not to stand anything in contact with them 

 that is aft'ected with that worst of all in- 

 sects under glass, white scale. If this in- 

 sect once gets upon them it spreads rapidly; 

 and the plants, in such a position, over- 

 hanging others, become the means of 

 afi^ecting all that come near them on 

 which the coccus will live. If they are 

 ever aft'ected with this insect, the only 

 remedy is to cut off in the spring ail 

 the branches to the strong wood, and 

 thoroughly scrub with strong insecticide. 

 Wliatever dressing is applied it should be 

 used three or four times, at intervals of a 

 few days, before the plants have pushed 

 any buds. Blown scale is more easily 

 dealt with, and may be destroyed by re- 



