ARISTOLOCHIA. 



Greenhouse and Stove Plants 



51 



lively green colour. A native of the Isle 

 of Bourbon. 



A. Baucri. A robust grower, with large, 

 handsome pinnate leaves. The plant will 

 bear a temperature in winter a little above 

 that of a cool greenhouse. It comes from 

 Norfolk Island. 



A. catechu. A stately, tall-growing 

 species, with bold pinnate leaves of a bright 

 green colour. It is a useful decorative 

 kind whilst in a small state, and is inte- 

 resting as being tlie sj^ecies that produces 

 the Betel Nut, so much used in the coun- 

 tries where it grows. From India. 



A. lutescens. A favourite species, that 

 thrives with a little more warmth than a 

 greenhouse. It is an elegant plant, with 

 slender, yellowish-green stem, and hand- 

 some, plume-like, pinnate leaves. It will 

 bear the temperature of a greenhouse in 

 summer. A native of the Mascaren Is- 

 lands. 



A. sapida (syn. : A. Banksii). A hand- 

 some kind, with distinct appearance. Es- 

 peciallv desirable whilst in a small state. 

 Norfolk Island. 



A. Verschaffeltii. A very elegant Palm, 

 with drooping pinnate leaves, that can be 

 kej^t for years in a small state. It requires 

 to be kept moderately warm in the Avinter. 

 Mascaren Islands. 



ARENGA. 



An interesting genus of stove Palms, not 

 many in number, but well worth growing. 



The method of propagation and after 

 management will be found under Palms, 

 general details of culture. 



A. saccharifera. A sugar-producing 

 species, which also affords fiijre for rope- 

 making in its native country. From the 

 Philippines and MoUucas. 



A. Wightii. A handsome dwarf species 

 with pinnate leaves. It comes from India. 



ARGYREIA. 



A limited genus of evergreen stove plants, 

 few of which are much in favour with 

 cultivators. They are of climbing or 

 twining habit, requiring a good deal of 

 room to grow in. 



They can be propagated by shoot cuttings 

 put in in spring in sand, and kept close, 

 moist, and shaded in a brisk heat. When 

 rooted pot singly, and grow on under 

 ■ordinary waim stove treatment, giving pot- 

 room as the plants increase in size, until 

 they are large enough to plant out. They 

 will glow in either peat or loam, but the 

 latter is best for these and other things that 

 are inclined to make a deal of growth. 



The following are the best of the kinds 

 in cultivation : — 



A. cmwata. Flowers purple. An 

 autumn bloomer. A native of India. 



A. ornata. A white-flowered species 

 that blooms in summer. India. 



A. splendens. Flowers pink, produced 

 in summer or autumn, according to the 

 degree of heat it receives. India. 



Insects. — Thrips and mealy bug are 

 often troublesome on these plants. Syringe 

 freely during summer with clean water, and 

 in winter, when they are at rest, with in- 

 secticide to destroy the bugs ; for thrips 

 fumigate. 



ARISTOLOCHIA. 



Amongst the immense number of plants 

 in cultivation few can take precedence of 

 these in regard to the singular formation 

 and colouring of the flowers, which are 

 totally unlike anything else in the whole 

 vegetable kingdom, so much so as in ap- 

 pearance not to convey the idea of a flower 

 at all, but rather of a grotesque imitation 

 of some imaginary animal. Aristolochias 

 are remarkably free-growing plants, mostly 

 from the hot, damp regions of the western 

 hemisphere, and, as such, particularly suited 

 for clothing pillars or rafters in warm stoves. 

 They are also easily grown in the shape of 

 trained specimens if required, and so man- 

 aged their singular flowers can be more 

 easily examined. They are very readily 

 struck from cuttings made from half-ripened 

 shoots, taken off Avith a heel. This is 

 necessary, as, if the strong succulent 

 growths are used, they are very liable to 

 damp off unless the base of the cutting 

 consists of a portion of the more solid 

 wood, formed at its junction with the 

 mature shoot from which it has sprung. 

 They udll strike any time of the year with 

 sufficient heat, but are generally in the 

 most suitable condition about the end of 

 March. Put them singly in small pots, 

 with a little drainage in the bottom, on 

 which is placed a mi.xture of half-sifted 

 peat and sand, with a little clean sand on 

 the surface ; place them under a propagat- 

 ing glass, and keep the soil moist, as succu- 

 lent cuttings of the nature ot these Aristo- 

 lochias lequire a good deal of moistixre. 

 If this is not given them they are likely to 

 flag, and the formation of roots is seriously 

 retarded ; let them be in a temperature of 

 70°, and shade closely fi'om the sun. They 

 will root in a few weeks, when at once tiaus- 

 fer them to 6-in. pots. Being mostly strong 

 growers, they will succeed in almost any 

 description of good soil sufiiciently porous 

 to allow the large quantity of water they 



