ARAUCARIA, 



Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 



49 



a height of from 50 to 100 feet. This 

 fact obviously precludes the possibility of 

 their being cultivated in glass structures 

 except whilst in a comparatively small 

 state ; yet, so distinct and handsome are 

 they, eVen while young and not yet of 

 a size to show much of their true character, 

 that they are often used in large conser- 

 vatories, where, occupying a central or other 

 commanding position, they are effective for 

 some years, or so long as they can be kept 

 within bounds. A. excelsa is especially 

 adapted for such use, its noble plume-like 

 branches having the appearance of gigantic 

 ostrich feathers. 



The method of propagation is from 

 cuttings of the firm wood taken off in the 

 autumn and inserted five or six together in 

 6-inch pots four-fifths filled with a mixture 

 of sand and sifted loam, with a little sand 

 on the top. In this insert the cuttings 

 made from pieces of the points of the 

 shoots about 6 inches long. They should 

 Ije kept at a warm greenhouse temperature, 

 watered so as to maintain the soil fairly 

 moist, but not closely confined. In the 

 course of the winter the cuttings will callus, 

 and form roots before or during spring ; 

 when a fair amount are made move singly 

 into 4 or 5 inch pots, and keep the plants 

 in a pit or house where they will get a 

 little less air than ordinary stock until 

 they begin to grow freely. Then give 

 more air, and water so as to keep the soil 

 moderately moist. Nothing more will be 

 retpiired through the summer except the 

 ordinary routine of management needful 

 for greenhouse plants ; the winter treatment 

 also requires to be similar to that which 

 answers for the general occupants of the 

 greenhouse. ! 



About March they will need moving | 

 into pots 3 or 4 inches larger. Araucarias I 

 like good yellow loam if such is at hand, 

 and as they are free-rooters it need not be 

 broken very fine, but add enough sand to 

 secure the water passing freely through ; at 

 the same time pot firm. They will now 

 grow away freely, and must be stood far 

 enough apart to keep them from being at 

 all drawn, for on. this depends their satis- 

 factory appearance, and as the object is to 

 get short-jointed, well-furnished sj^ecimens, 

 rather than to induce rapid upward exten- 

 sion, they must have plenty of light and 

 air. From this time forward their treat- 

 ment needs to be of the simplest character. 

 Each spring for two or thiee years give 

 them pots a couple of inches larger, and 

 after that time they may go for two or 

 three years without moving according to 

 the apparent state of the individual plants 

 in requiring sustenance. In this it is 



necessary to take a medium course between 

 allowing too little and too much root-room ; 

 if the latter is given they are made un- 

 wieldy, and tlieir increase of size is accele- 

 rated so that they soon get too big for even 

 ordinary large "houses. This especially 

 applies to A. excelsa, the kind which i.s 

 most gro\vn. Where there is a likelihood 

 of any of the species soon getting too tall 

 for the house they occupy, their upward 

 extension may be retarded by cutting the 

 leading stem back two or three joints, 

 severing the top just above a joint ; this 

 should be done in spring some weeks before 

 growth commences. The eyes immediately 

 below the point where cut back to will 

 start, and from the shoots thus pioduced 

 select the most promising for a leader and 

 remove the others. In this way a ne\\- 

 top will be secured to take the jalace of that 

 removed, and by the adoption of this course 

 at intervals growth is directed more into 

 the side branches, and top extension 

 checked so as to keep the plants more 

 within bounds. When too lai-ge for the 

 house in which located they must be 

 discarded, others having previously been 

 prepared to take their place. 



All the species can be raised from seed 

 where such is to be had, but for private 

 use propagation by cuttings will generally 

 be the best. 



The undermentioned are all suitable for 

 use as already mentioned : — 



A. Cookii. A distinct-looking plant, 

 much denser in growth than A. excelsa, 

 diftering altogether in its general habit. 

 From New Caledonia. 



A. Cunninghainii. An Australian species 

 that forms a handsome specimen, retaining 

 its leaves in a way that keeps the plant 

 densely clothed. It is a moderately quick 

 grower, but does not attain height so 

 rapidly as A. excelsa. 



A. Cunninghamii glauca. A glaucous 

 form of the last named. From Port Molle. 



A. elegans. A New Caledonian species, 

 of smaller growth than the others. It has 

 elegant slender branches, the foliage veiy 

 bright green. 



A. excelsa. The most beautiful of all the 

 species, and also one of the most elegant 

 plants ever introduced. Norfolk Island. 



A . excelsa gla uca. A variety of the above, 

 with distinct glaucous leaves. 



A. Rulei. A handsome plant ^\'ith a 

 very distinct form of growth ; its slender 

 drooping bi\inches have a charming 

 appearance where there is room to give it 

 sufficient scope. It is in the way of the 

 hardy A. imbricata, but much more slender, 

 and the branches are more numerous. 

 From the Papuan Archipelago 



