Greenhouse and Stove Plants 



35 



plants, must be avoided. Shade at all 

 times when the sun is bright, but let the 

 plants be kept well up to the light. By 

 midsummer larger pots will most likely be 

 wanted, as most of the kinds are free- 

 rooters, but with such species as A. Veitchii 

 care must be taken that too much pot 

 room is not given. Syringe overhead 

 freely once a day through the growing 

 season, getting the water well to the back 

 as well as the front of the leaves ; if this 

 is not done, red spieler will most likely 

 attack them. Through the summer months 

 the temperature may vary from 70° to a 

 little over at night, and from 80° to 85° in 

 the daytime, giving water so as to keep the 

 soil always moist. Keduce the heat and 

 atmospheric moisture as autumn sets in, 

 dispense with shading as soon as the sun's 

 power declines enough to allow this to be 

 done, and syringe overhead seldomer. 



In winter the temperature should be 

 about 65° at night, with a proportionate 

 rise by day. Nothing farther is required 

 ■except pot-room according to the size to 

 which the specimens are wanted to grow. 

 Such sorts as A. metallica may be grown 

 to 6 feet or 7 leet through if desired, and 

 weaker growers in proportion, but for 

 general purposes smaller examples will 

 .be more useful. Eacli spring the plants 

 .should be turned out of their pots, and all 

 the old soil removed, and replaced with 

 new material. This is necessary, as, if an 

 attempt is made to keep them a second 

 year in the same soil, that will, most likely, 

 betore the end of the season, get decom- 

 posed and too pasty, conditions under 

 which the roots are sure to perish. A. 

 macrorhiza variegata does best in good 

 fibrous loam, made very rich by the addi- 

 tion ot one-third dry shaly manure, like 

 that obtainable round the outside of an old 

 hotbed, with sand sufficient to keep it 

 sweet. This plant should be grown 

 annually from a single sucker of the pre- 

 vious year's propagation, which, if well 

 managed, will attain a size of 7 feet or 8 

 feet in diameter, and in this state, with its 

 beautifully variegated leaves, it is one of 

 the most effective of all variegated plants. 



The best kinds are : — 



A. Chelsoni. A hybrid raised between 

 A. metallica and A. longiloba. It produces 

 large leaves, shining green on the upper 

 surface, purjale beneath. 



A. iUnstris. An Indian kind, not un- 

 like A. Jenningsii, but a stronger grower ; 

 its leaves, like that kind, are green, 

 mottled with blackish olive. 



A. intermedia. This variety was raised 

 by crossing A. longiloba with A. Veitchii. 

 It has much of the beautiful greyish metal- 



lic shade of A. Veitchii, but grows a good 

 deal larger. 



A . Jenningsii. A handsome small-grow- 

 ing species from India, with leaves 8 inches 

 or 9 inches long, of a rich green colour, 

 and blotched with black or dark brown 

 between the veins. 



A. Johnstonii. A singular species, with 

 spiny leaf-stalks and arrow-shaped leaves, 

 green, veined with red. A native of the 

 Solomon Islands. 



A. Lowii. Similar to A. Veitchii in form 

 of leaf, but the upper surface is much 

 greener, and barred with metallic tints ; it 

 is likewise a much better grower than 

 Veitchii. A native of Borneo. 



A. macrorhiza variegata. A beautiful, 

 large-growing species, with cordate leaves, 

 pale green, with large white blotches, which 

 sometimes cover half the surface. Ceylon. 



A. Marshallii. An Indian species in the 

 way of A. Jenningsii, but with a broad 

 silvery band down the centre of the leaves. 



A. metallica. A Bornean sort, with large, 

 shield-shaped, metallic-tinted leaves, and 

 one which may be grown to a large size. 



A. Roczlii costata. A medium-gro^ving, 

 green-leaved species, blotched with silvery 

 grey. From the United States of Colombia. 



A. Sedenii. A hybrid raised between A. 

 Lowi and A. metallica ; in form most like 

 the first-named parent. A handsome plant. 



A. Thibautiana. A Bornean species 

 something in the way of A. Lowii, but 

 larger. Blackish green in colour, with 

 distinct white veins. 



A. Veitchii. A very handsome species, 

 also from Borneo, having long arrow- 

 shaped foliage, \vith ivory-white midribs, 

 and a bluish slate-like colour on the upjjer 

 surface of the leaves, which are deep pur- 

 ple beneath. 



.•i. zebrina. A strong-growing species 

 with large sagittate leaves, green in colour, 

 stalks banded with blackish green, which 

 gives the plant a handsome appearance. 

 Philippine Islands. 



Insects. — The regular syringing re- 

 quired for these Alocasias through the 

 growing season will keep down the smaller 

 insects that attack them, such as aphides, 

 thrips, or red spider ; should mealy bug 

 by chance effect a lodgment on the back 

 of the foliage or leaf-stalks, it must be re- 

 moved by sponging. 



ALOE. 



These are greenhouse succulent plants, 

 nearly all coming from the Caj^e of Good 

 Hope. A few of them are worth growing 

 for their handsome leaves, in addition to 

 their somewhat singular flowers. 



