34 



Greetihoase and SUjve PlaiiU 



ALOCASIA. 



hack ever}- sea-son before they are started into 

 growth. On account of their very strong 

 habit of growth, even when required as 

 climbers, it is better to grow them in pots 

 than to plant out, unless they are wanted 

 to cover a very large space, in which case 

 they may be turned out in a border of 

 limited extent, and the soil partially re- 

 newed each spring. 



The following kinds are all well worth 

 gromng : — 



A. carthartica. A well-known free- 

 flowering kind, with moderate-sized blooms, 

 which it produces plentifully. 



A. Chdsoni. A profuse large-flowered 

 kind, from Western Africa. It is almost 

 as deeji in colour as A. Aubletti, and has 

 not the objectionable habit of the blooms 

 reflexing natural to that variety, which it 

 supersedes. 



A. grandiflora. A magnificent sort, 

 ■with beautiful bright canary-yellow 

 flowers, produced in large quantities. It 

 is very di.stinct in hai)it, and a much 

 w^eaker grower than all the others, smaller 

 foliage, and is most suitable for growing 

 as a ]Kit s]M-riiii(^n, in which way it may 

 with advauiaL;'- 1h; trained to sticks, trellis 

 being di>puiist-<l with. 



A. Hendersonii. A very strong-grow- 

 ing, large, free-blooming sort ; the base of 

 the flowers internally suff"used with brown. 



A. nohilis. A strong grower, with very 

 large, finely-shaped, bright yellow flowers; 

 requires a light situation to bloom freely. 



A. Schottii. A very strong grower, 

 with immensely large pale yellow flowers 

 that reflex a good deal. It is not so free 

 in blooming as the others. 



A. violacea. A very distinct-looking 

 species, with reddish fl(jwers. It is not so 

 handsome as the other kinds, but to those 

 who like to grow plants of a decidedly dis- 

 tinct appearance it will be acceptable. 



Insects. — AUamandas possess almost an 

 immunity from insects, except from a 

 minute yellow thrip, which is very 

 troublesome if once it gets a footing, as it 

 destroys and disfigures the young flower 

 buds and leaves. It is best kept under by 

 co]iious and daily syringing, as it is most 

 diflicult to kill by fumigation. 



ALOCASIA. 



Since fine-leaved plants have become 

 fashionable, there has buen a large addition 

 to the number of cultivated species of 

 Alocasia, and amongst them may be num- 

 bered many of the finest and most distinct 

 of all stove subjects grown for the beauty 

 of their foliage. Few families of plants 

 present so much diversity in the form and 



colour of their leaves as do these Alocasias, 

 fr<jm the bold and distinct combination of 

 pale green and milky white in the stately 

 A. macrorhiza variegata, to the shining 

 metallic hue possessed to such a marked 

 extent by A. metallica, both jjlants that, 

 when they first appeared, made quite a 

 sensation amongst cultivators. As decora- 

 tive objects in the warm stove, they ai'e 

 unsurpassed, contrasting admirably with 

 other fine-leaved as well as flowering 

 plants. They are mostly found in the 

 warmest parts of the world, where, in 

 addition to a continuously high tempera- 

 ture, they are subjected to a humid atmos- 

 phere. Therefore, in order to grow them 

 satisfactorily, they need both heat and mois- 

 ture, otherwise they make little progress. 

 Alocasias are increased by means of 

 suckers, which most of the species produce 

 freely, and also by division of the creeping 

 underground stems, as well as by small 

 tubers that several of the species annually 

 , form. Propagation is best efi"ected in 

 ! spring towards the beginning of March, 

 I about which time the old specimens re- 

 quire a shift ; all the species, except A. 

 macrorhiza and its variegated form, we have 

 found to do best in a mixture of sphagnum 

 and the best fibrous matter out of very 

 light peat (such as that used for Orchids), 

 to which some sand, crocks, and dry shaly 

 manure have been added, as, if anything 

 at all close and adhesive is used, many of 

 the kinds will make little or no progress. 

 The small tubers formed by sorts like A. 

 Veitchii do best put in shallow pans in a 

 mixture similar to that just described until 

 they have made a couple of leaves each, 

 when they may be moved into little pots 

 singly. Suckers, when taken oft', should 

 be at once transferred to pots proportionate 

 to their size. An extra amount of drai :- 

 age is required on account of their needing 

 to be liberally supplied with water during 

 the growing season, and also from the fact 

 that most of the species are surface rooters, 

 not pushing their roots down to any con- 

 siderable depth in the pots. 



Alocasias recjuire a brisk heat in order 

 to grow them well ; in fact, most of the 

 species will never attain anything like 

 their proper size and appearance without 

 the full amount of heat needed by the 

 greatest heat-requiring plants. After the 

 crowns are jiotted they should be kept in 

 a temjjerature of nearly 70° at night, with 

 a rise in the day proi^ortionate to the state 

 of the weather ; a little air should be given 

 duiing the middle of the day when the 

 weather is such as to allow this to be done, 

 but early in spring the admission of cold 

 air, so as to come in contact with the 



