Gvnenhouse and otove Plants. 



47 



and all the stron;^est shoots ought to have 

 their points pinched out to ensure a bushy 

 liabit. All the Aphelexis are easily 

 managed in this resjsect, being naturally 

 compact growers. They are most im- 

 patient of an excess of moisture at the 

 roots. This must be carefully guarded 

 against in all stages of their growth, and 

 the soil always allowed, before applying 

 watei', to become considerably drier than 

 would be necessary in the case of such 

 plants as Acrophyllum. 



They should be kept through the autumn 

 and winter in a light, airy situation, avoid- 

 ing cold draughts, and keeping them in a 

 night temperature of as near 45° as con- 

 venient. The shoots that were stopped in 

 the pre\'ious summer will most likely not 

 show bloom ; but any flowers that do 

 appear it will be better to pinch out. By 

 the middle of April give them a shift into 

 pots 3 or 4 inches larger, according to the 

 strength of the plants and the condition of 

 their roots, after which let their general 

 treatment be such as recommended for the 

 previous summer. 



We have not said anything about tying. 

 Naturally they are of a procumbent habit, 

 and consequently they require more sup- 

 port than plants of erect growth ; but use 

 no more sticks than are necessary to keep 

 them in shape. In all probability they 

 will not require any more stopping, as if 

 they are strong they will break sufficiently 

 to furnish themselves. They ought to set 

 bloom all over ; but if the object is to get 

 them on into large specimens as soon as 

 possible it will be better to pinch the 

 flowers out, as reconunended in the pre- 

 vious year. If required to bloom, it will 

 be necessary to keep them, when in flower, 

 in a house where the atmosphere is quite 

 dry, or the flowers will turn mouldy and 

 lose their colour. The best plan is to 

 allow a little top air all night over where 

 the plants stand. If attention is paid to 

 these matters, they will retain tlieir beauty 

 for a mouth ; after which the flowers 

 should be removed, and the plants treated 

 as recommended in the previous seasons. 

 After they have got big enough to produce 

 a good display of flowers, they should be 

 stood out in the open air through the 

 month of August each summer ; this will 

 benefit them by hardening uj) their growth. 

 Keep them after this through the winter 

 at about 35° or 40°. Each season, until 

 they attain full specimen size, they should 

 have larger pots after flow^ering. There 

 are three kinds that are sufficiently distinct 

 to merit a place in everj^ collection of 

 plants. 



A. viacrantlm purpurea. This is the 



deepest coloured, as well as the best con- 

 stitutioned, variety. It is a good grower, 

 making a full-sized plant in less time than 

 any of the others. 



A. macrantha rosea. There are scA^eral 

 inferior plants sold for the true sort, which 

 is one of the scarcest as well as most desir- 

 able hard-wooded plants in cultivation. 

 When it is in good condition, its flowers 

 are nearly 2J inches in diameter, of a 

 beautiful bright pink, forming a nice con- 

 trast to the last-named variety. It is a 

 strong, but not quite so quick a grower as 

 A. macrantha purpurea. 



A. rupestris grandijlora. Is distinct 

 enough from the two preceding to render 

 it well worth growing. 



The species of Aphelexis are longer lived 

 than most other hard-wooded plants. If 

 well treated they will often last for a dozen 

 years or more, and at the end of that time 

 be as vigoi-ous as ever. 



Insects. — Greenfly frequently attacks 

 the young growths ; to destroy it fumigate 

 repeatedly. If affected with scale, dip, or 

 syringe in the dormant season, with, in- 

 secticide sufficiently strong to eradicate 

 the pest. 



ARALIA. 



(Stove.) 



Amongst the stove kinds of Aralia much 

 difference exists, both as regards size and 

 form ; they are hard-wooded evergreen 

 plants of comparatively free growth, and 

 mostly erect in habit. They have little 

 disposition to branch out, a property which 

 befits them for associating with plants of 

 bushy gro^vth. They are increased both 

 by cuttings and grafts, using for stocks 

 such of the commoner species as are plenti- 

 ful. The stocks should be prepared in the 

 usual manner, that is, struck from eyes 

 or cuttings, and grown on in small pots 

 until they have attained the thickness of 

 an ordinary pencil, when they should l)e 

 headed down to a little above the base. 

 The scions should be then inserted in any 

 of the several ways by which plants of a 

 similai' nature succeed. We have found 

 none better than the cleft and wedge 

 method, keeping them warm enough and. 

 a little close until the grafts are united. 

 But in the case of Aralias, as with most 

 other things of a like character, propaga- 

 tion by cuttings and eyes is the method 

 by which ordinary cultivators usually in- 

 crease them. Plants that get naked and 

 bare of leaves should have their heads cut 

 off in the spring, making cuttings from 

 such part of the up])er portion as is only 

 half-ripened, and of the extreme top as 



