LTreenlumse and Stuoe Plant!<. 



AMARYLLIS. 



They are propagated from suckers taken 

 off the old plants in spring, inserted in 

 small pots, and placed where they will get 

 a little extra warmth. Ordinary loam 

 with a liberal addition of sand and small 

 pot .shreds suits them, and they should be 

 given more root-room as they increase in 

 size. They require little water in winter, 

 but should have the soil kept moderately 

 moist during the growing season 



The following are the most distinct : — 



A. abyssinica. A stout-growing species, 

 with thick, ileshy leaves, long and broad ; 

 green, spined on the edges. From Abys- 

 sinia. 



A. Soccotriana. A branching plant, 

 with upright habit ; leaves green, spined 

 on the edges. 



A. variegata. The well-known part- 

 ridge-breasted Aloe. A pretty window 

 plant, thriving where many things would 

 not grow. Leaves stout, six to eight 

 inches long ; green, banded with grey. 



In-sects.— The nature of these plants is 

 s uch that few insects affect them ; green- 

 fly is sometimes troublesome on the young 

 flower-spikes ; fumigationisthebestremedy. 



ALOYSIA CITRIODORA. 



This, which is a deciduous greenhouse 

 plant, is s\Tionymous Avith Verbena trip- 

 n\ 11a, or the Lemon-scented Verbena as it 

 is often called. It is a native of Chili, and 

 ha.'^ insignificant flowers. Its pale-green 

 la ceolate leaves are highly fragrant, and 

 for them the plant is cultivated, and is a 

 general favourite. 



It strikes freely from cuttings, inserted 

 in sand in the spring, covered with a bell 

 gl ass, kept moist and shaded in a moderate 

 heat ; thus treated they will root in a few 

 weeks, when they must be moved singly 

 t(i small pots, in sandy loam. As soon as 

 growth has fairly commenced stop the 

 points to cause' the formation of side 

 snoots ; this operation should be repeated 

 two or three times to secure a bushy con- 

 iition of the plants. Give larger pots when 

 required ; 5 or 6 inches in diameter will 

 be big enough for the first year. After 

 they are fairly established greenhouse 

 treatment is all they need, such for in- 

 stance as Fuchsias succeed with as to air 

 warmth and moisture. In the winter they 

 should be kept drier, and may with ad- 

 vantage have their shoots shortened l;>ack 

 before they start into growth in the spring, 

 removing part of the old soil and giving 

 pt)ts two or three sizes lai'ger ; afterwards 

 treat as in the preceding summer. 



The plants may be kept for a number of 

 yc:ars by giving increased root-room, pre- 



viously cutting in the branches moderately ; 

 in this way their deliciously-scented 

 shoots will admit of being used freely for 

 mixing with cat flowers. 



Insects. — The plant is liable to the 

 attacks of most insects that feed on green- 

 house plants generally : for aphides and 

 thrips fumigate, syringe and sponge to get 

 rid of scale. 



ALSOPHILA. 



This genus of Ferns contains stove as 

 well as greenhouse species. The cooler 

 kinds are the most deserving of notice, 

 but neither are equal from a gardening 

 point of view to the Cyatheas and Dick- 

 sonias. 



For propagation and cultivation, see.- 

 Ferns, general details of culture. 



STOVE SPECIES. 

 A. contawinoMS. Philippine Islands. 

 A. lunulaca. Polynesia. 

 A. Rebecca. Queensland. 



GREENHOUSE SPECIES. 



A. andralis. Australia. 



A. Bcyrichiana. 



A. excelsa. Norfolk Island. 



A. Leichardtiana. New South Wales. 



AMARYLLIS. 



These are stove bulbous plants, many of 

 which are evei'green, while others shed 

 their leaves in winter, the principle differ- 

 ence in their culture being that the ever- 

 green kinds, although requiring to be kept 

 much drier at the roots when not growing 

 during the winter season, must not be 

 allowed ever to become quite dry — a 

 condition necessary with such as are 

 deciduous. Of the first species introduced^ 

 a few are from the Cape of Good Hope and 

 the West Indies, but the greater number 

 are indigenous to Brazil and the adjacent 

 countries. From these have sprung the 

 present race of splendid hybrids, possessing 

 a free habit of blooming, and producing 

 large and truly gorgeous flowers, wherein 

 the stripping and blending of soft and 

 intensely deep colours are combined in a 

 way that is not surpassed by any ]jlants in 

 cultivation. They possess the doul^le merits 

 of being easily grown and not getting too 

 Ijig for those who have not the convenience 

 of large stoves. They succeed well in good 

 fibrous loam (jf a strong nature, with just 

 as much sand added as will ensure its not 

 getting sour and impervious to the plentiful 

 supply of water they lequire when growing. 



