50 



Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 



A. Van Geertii. A more recently intro- 

 duced kind, that forms a pretty si^ecinien, 

 differing in apj^earance from any of the 

 others. It attains a medium size, and is a 

 moderately fast grower. 



Insects. — Resinous plants of this de- 

 scription are not usually much troubled 

 with insects. A free use of the syringe 

 during the growing season will generally 

 keep them clean. 



AEDISIA. 



A. crenulata is a compact-growing, cool 

 stove, evergreen plant from the West Indies. 

 Its flowers are small and unimportant, but 

 they are succeeded by an abundant crop of 

 brilliant berries, which are very showy. 

 They are about the size of Haws, when rijje 

 bright red in colour, and produced in 

 bunches comparatively large for the size of 

 the plant. They are also very persistent. 

 This Ardisia is much used as a room plant, 

 a purpose for which its general character 

 well adapts it. It is best increased from 

 seed which, if sown at the beginning of the 

 year in moderate-sized pans filled with 

 sandy peat sifted fine, the seeds coveied 

 about half an inch, and stood in a house or 

 pit where a temperature of 65° or 70° can 

 be kej)t up, will soon vegetate. After they 

 have begun to grow place them where they 

 wiU receive a fair amount of light. Keep 

 the soil moderately moist, and when they 

 are large enough put them singly in small 

 pots and stancl them on some moisture- 

 holding material, such as sand or ashes. 

 This is an essential matter with seedling 



Slants in little pots, for if they are stood on 

 ry shelves, particularly in the summer 

 time, they get dried up quickly, and are 

 thereby injured. Give them ordinary stove 

 treatment during the summer as to water, 

 heat, air, and shade ; by the end of July 

 they will bear moving into 4-inch pots, and 

 afterwards encourage growth until the 

 middle of October, when the temperature 

 should be reduced gradually for the winter, 

 through which 55° or 60° will be enough. 

 Increase the heat about the end of Feb- 

 ruary, and in the course of a month they 

 will want 'moving into 6-inch pots ; treat 

 them afterwards as advised for the previous 

 summer. This Ardisia does not require 

 stopping, as it will branch out sufl&ciently 

 of its own accord. 



As winter approaches reduce the tempe- 

 rature, and increase it about the time ad- 

 vised in the preceding season ; in spring 

 the strongest plants may be moved into 

 pots an inch larger, but it is not advisable 

 to give more root-room than is absolutely 

 necessary, as the smaller the pots the better 



the plants will look, and those that are not 

 shifted can he lielped with manuie-wat 'r. 

 They will flower in the spring or summer 

 according to the temperature they are sub- 

 jected to. Give tliem, especially whilst in 

 bloom, plenty of light, which will lieljo the 

 flowers to set ; all that is necessary further 

 is to continue treating them as already ad- 

 vised. By autumn, if all has gone well, 

 the l^erries will be fully coloured, and tliey 

 can be used with advantage for decoration 

 in a warm conservatoiy, or intermediate 

 house, or in living rooms as already men- 

 tioned. If the plants are well managed 

 they will be nice pyramids with healthy 

 foliage down to the bottom, their handsome 

 dark-green crenulated leaves contrasting 

 well with their bright-coloured berries. If 

 desired, they can be grown on larger by 

 giving them more pot-room, but they never 

 look so pretty as in the first season of their 

 fruiting — consequently it is well to keep up 

 the stock by sowing some of the berries 

 every year. The plant will strike from 

 cuttings made of the young shoots, treated 

 when rooted as advised for the seedlings. 



A. crenulata alba. Is a white-berried 

 variety of the above, and will succeed with 

 similar treatment. 



A. Oliveri. This is a Irairdsome deco- 

 rative plant from Costa Rica, quite distinct 

 in habit and general appearance from the 

 j^receding kinds. The flowers are bright 

 purple. It is propagated by cuttings strucli 

 in the usual way, and when rooted treated 

 as recommended for A. crenulata. 



Insects. — The stout texture of the leaves 

 does not offer much attraction for the 

 smaller insects that prey on stove plants, 

 and the syringing to which the plants are 

 subjected daily during the growing season 

 will keep them down. Scale or mealy bug 

 must be rerrroved by syringing with in- 

 secticide or by sponging. 



ARECA. 



A handsome genus of Palms, most of 

 which grow to a considerable height, but 

 for many years may be kejit within mode- 

 rate size. Nearly all the species require a 

 stove or intermediate temperature. 



For propagatioir and cultivation, see 

 Palms, gerreral details of culture. 



A. Alicce. A dwarf-habited kind, with 

 pinnatisect leaves. Being amenable to 

 cultivation in a lower temjterature tharr 

 many, it is a desirable species. It comes 

 from Australia. 



A. alba (syn. :A. Borbonica). This species 

 is very harrdsome while in a young state, 

 and has a noble appearance as it gets 

 older ; the leaves are pinnate, and of a 



