.Al'HKLANDRA. 



Gri-eithonse and Htuve Pluiits. 



45 



tiowers a little deeper in colour. After 

 trying the plant in peat and also in loam, 

 as well as in a mixture of equal parts of 

 each, we have found that the last is prefer- 

 able used in equal proportions ; both should 

 contain a fair amount of fibre and have 

 added to them one-seventh of sand. Cut- 

 tings strike readily taken off with a heel, 

 placed singly in 60-sized pots in a mixture 

 of half-sifted peat and sand, with a little 

 clean sand on tlie top ; give a little water 

 at the time they are inserted, and at once 

 put them under a propagating glass in a 

 temperature of 70°. If with bottom heat, 

 10° higher, they will root all the quicker ; 

 but where there is no convenience for 

 giving bottom heat it may be dispensed 

 with fur this as for most other stove plants, 

 provided that the temperature of the house 

 can be kept up sufficiently. The cuttings 

 should be put in as early in the season as 

 they can be had in proper condition, which 

 will be when the young growths are about 

 three or four inches in length. This they 

 will have attained by the middle of Apiil, 

 provided that the plants from which they 

 are taken have been kept in a warm house 

 through the winter. Keep the cuttings 

 sufficiently close to prevent their flagging, 

 but not so as to cause the leaves to damp — 

 a condition they are likely to sufter from 

 if a little air is not given. By the end of 

 May enough roots will be formed to admit 

 of the propagating glass being dispeiised 

 with. They should then be moved into 

 6-inch pots. For this first shift the soil 

 should be sifted and used, as already 

 advised, in equal proportions of loam and 

 peat; the plants will grow c^uicker if a 

 sixth part is added consisting of half leaf 

 mould and rotten dung, Avith as much sand 

 mixed with the whole as will keep it 

 porous. Pot moderately firm, and place 

 the plants on a front shelf where they 

 will get plenty of light, in a house or 

 pit, with a niuht temperature of 70°, allow- 

 ing it to rise 10° higher with air during 

 the day. Shade in the middle of the 

 day in sunny weather, and give enough 

 water to keep the soil moderately moist. 

 Pinch out the points of the shoots as 

 soon as grtjwth has fairly commenced. 

 This A]ihelandra is of a somewhat erect 

 lialiit of growth, and disposed to run up 

 without branching out unless stopping the 

 shoots is attended to. Syringe overhead in 

 tlie afternoons, and close the house with 

 the sun upon the glass ; by the middle of 

 July they will have made sufficient pro- 

 gress to bear moving into pots 2 inches 

 larger, and now use the soil in a more 

 lumpy state, but in the same proportions as 

 before. Ti'eat as hitherto in respect to 



heat, shade, and moisture, both at the roots 

 and by syringing overhead, and keep the 

 atmosphere all through the growing season 

 moderately moist. About the end of August 

 discontinue the use of the syringe, and give 

 more air ; as the weather gets cooler reduce 

 the temperature 5°. They will now begin to 

 throw up flower, and should be set in the 

 lightest place the house affords. When the 

 bloom spikes are half open the plants, if 

 required, may be placed in a conservatory, 

 if this is kept at an intermediate tempera- 

 ture. Should it not be warmer than an 

 ordinary greenhouse, they must be allowed 

 to remain in the stove, as they would not 

 bear being kept too cold during the autumn. 

 If whilst in bloom they are subjected to a 

 somewhat lower temperature than they are 

 opened in, no more water must be given 

 than will keep the leaves and flowers from 

 flagging, or the roots will be apt to sufter. 

 As soon as the blooms have decayed the 

 shoots should be cut back to within a 

 couple of joints of where shortened at 

 the stoppings in the summer. Keep the 

 plants through the winter in a temperature 

 of 60° in the night and a few degi'ees 

 wai'mer in the day ; giA^e no more water 

 than i.s necessary to keep them growing 

 slowly. As the days lengthen give 5" more 

 warmth day and night. By the end of 

 March the roots will begin to move ; they 

 should then be turned out of the pots, and 

 as much of the surface soil as is not 

 occupied by the roots ought to be removed. 

 Give a 3 or 4 inch shift according to the 

 quantity of roots they have got, using the 

 soil in a little rougher state than when the 

 plants were smaller. When the potting i& 

 completed replace them in the stove, 

 treating generally as in the preceding, 

 summer ; they will require stopping only 

 once unless it is deemed advisable to have 

 some in flower later in the autumn. 

 About the beginning of May pinch out the 

 points and tie the shoots out in a horizontal 

 position, so as to induce a bushy form. 

 This will also cause some of the lower eyes 

 to break and produce more flowering 

 growths. The plants require very little 

 support, but a few neat sticks should be 

 used to keep the shoots in their places. 

 Treat through the summer as in the first 

 season. If only stopped once they will 

 flower considerably earlier ; when the 

 bloom is over, again' shorten back the whole 

 of the shoots to a couple of eyes beyond the- 

 point where cut back to the autumn before^ 

 treating similarly through the winter. In 

 the spring again turn out of the pots, and 

 remove as much of the old soil as can be 

 done without unduly disturbing the roots ; 

 repot in 2 or 3 inches larger size, which, 



