44 



UreenhousS'i and Utove Plants. 



APHELAXDRA. 



have made some roots, or a portion 

 of their leaves will be liable to go off 

 before they get established, but when they 

 have formed a few i-oots and pushed down 

 into the soil, the suckers can, as a rule, be 

 cut off and the roots be got with them 

 entire ; they should at once be put 

 separately into small pots and kept a 

 little, but not too close. They ^vill 

 usually be found to grow away without 

 much check, and only need to have more 

 pot-room given them as they increase 

 in size. If wanted very large, good- 

 sized pots ^vill ultimately be lequired, as 

 many of the species are strong growers. 

 Their roots are much inclined to keep on 

 the surface, and on this account the pots 

 should be deeply drained, which is also 

 necessary as they need water plentifully 

 diuing the growing season. Good turfy 

 peat with some sand and small crocks 

 added is the best material to grow them 

 in. They will thrive through the spring 

 in a temperature of 60^ to 65° by night, 

 raising the heat during the day, and as the 

 season gets further advanced 70" in the 

 night and 80° or 85° in the day will not be 

 too much when the weather is warm. 

 Place them where they will get a fair 

 amount of light, but shade must be ap- 

 plied when the sun is at all powerful. 

 Give air on favourable occasions, and 

 syringe overhead freely once a day whilst 

 any growth is going on. A night tempera- 

 ture of 60° to 65°, -with 10° more in the 

 day, will be heat enough through the 

 winter. The stron<,'est-growing .species 

 can be grown to a large size it" desired 

 simjily by not dividing them and by 

 giving sufficient root space. 



The undermentioned are all good kinds : 



A. Broioiii. A strong-growing species, 

 with tall stems, bearing leaves 3 feet long, 

 cordate-lauceolate in shape. Colombia. 



A. crystallinum. This has very large 

 beautiful massive leaves of a pale olive 

 green, the midrib and principal nerves 

 having a distinct white band running 

 their whole length. It comes from New 

 Grenada. 



A. magnificum. A handsome species, 

 with large leaves 2 feet across, deep green 

 in colour, and of a silky appearance ; the 

 nerves are white. A native of Brazil. 



A. Margaritaceura. This has neat foli- 

 age, but its principal attraction is the 

 numerous clusters of lilac berries that it 

 bears, and which are produced freely. 



A. regale. A very stout-growing" plant, 

 with handsome large leaves. South 

 America. 



A. Veiichii. Has leaves from 2 feet to 3 

 feet long by 10 inches wide ; colour, deep 



green with a metallic tint, the surface waved 

 and very distinct in appearance. A native 

 of Colombia. 



A. Warocqneanum. Has leaves which 

 are arrow-shaped and from 24 inches to 

 30 inches long, deep green and velvety in 

 texture, the midrib and veins being almost 

 white — a grand plant. From New Grenada, 



Insects. — The leaves of these Anthu- 

 riums, being large and comparatively few in 

 number, do not offer much shelter for insects, 

 wliich are generally kept in check by the 

 regular use of the syringe through the 

 growing season. Should mealy bug or 

 scale effect a lodi^anent, they must be 

 sponged off carefully, so as not to bruise or 

 injure the leaves. 



ANTIGRAMMA BRAZILIENSE. 



A stove species of Fern with well-marked 

 character, distinct in appearance, and a 

 desirable kind. From Brazil 



For propagation and cultivation, see 

 Ferns, general details of culture. 



APHELANDRA. 



These splendid autumn and winter 

 blooming plants rank amongst the finest 

 ornaments of the stove, and are deserving of 

 general cultivation ; the fact that they comt 

 into flower when the greater number of the 

 summer bloomers are on the wane makes 

 them doubly acceptable. They possess the 

 twofold merit of floweiing as freely 

 in a small state as they do when grown up 

 to large specimens, and this gives them the 

 advantage of being suitable for those who 

 require plants for the decoration of large 

 houses as well as for those of less preten- 

 sions. Another matter of importance is 

 that their growth can be so regulated as to 

 have them in flower over a lengthened 

 period in succession ; from early in Sep- 

 tember to considerably later on some of the 

 varieties, especially the charming A. Roezlii, 

 can be had in bloom up to late in the 

 spring, when its bright orange scarlet- 

 coloured spikes and ample shining leaves 

 attordan admirable contrast to anytliingebe. 

 One of the finest of the genus is the well- 

 kno^vn A cristata, which was introduced 

 from the West Indies, and which, when 

 well managed, vrith its gorgeous crested 

 spikes of orange scarlet flowers produced 

 from the points of the shoots, is one of the 

 most beautiful autumn ornaments of the 

 warm conservatory. It succeeds in either ' 

 peat or loam ; in the former its ample stout 

 leaves grow to a larger size and assume a 

 deeper shade of green ; in loam it makes 

 shoi-ter growth, and generally produces its 



