86 



Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 



CALAMUS. 



the sucker-like shoots which spring up 

 from the cro^^^ls of the fleshy tubers. 

 These can always be had in the spring from 

 plants started a month or two previous. 

 The roots should be potted and started in 

 a heat of 65°. When the shoots are 5 inches 

 or 6 inches long, they should be cut off 

 with some of the fibrous roots which they 

 will have formed above the tubers. Put 

 them singly in 3-inch or 4-inch pots ; they 

 will grow in either peat or loam to which 

 has been added a moderate quantity of 

 sand, with some rotten manure when the 

 plants get larger. Keep the newly taken 

 off shoots warm and close until they have 

 begun to grow, after which remove the 

 jiropagating glasses, and when they have 

 rilled the pots Avith roots move them into 

 uthers considerably larger ; the stronger 

 gro\\ang kinds, such a-s C. bicolor, need 

 much more root- room than small growers 

 like C. argyrites, nice plants of which can 

 be grown in 6-inch or 7-inch pots. Through 

 the latter part of spring and during the 

 summer they will bear as much heat as 

 most occupants of the stove, say 70° by 

 night and 80° or 85° in the day. They 

 should be placed where they will get full 

 light, wth a moderate amount of air in the 

 daytime, and a thin shade when the sun 

 is powerful. All required further is 

 to give pot-room as needed. If large 

 specimens of the large kinds are wanted, 

 the tubers in the course of two or three 

 years will require 15 or 16 inch pots. In 

 the autumn, when the plants have ceased 

 to make young leaves and show signs of 

 going to rest, gradually withhold water, 

 and when the foliage has died off keep the 

 soil in the pots quite dry in a temperature 

 of aT)Out 60° ; in this state they should 

 remain until they are to be started, which 

 it is well to do at two or three different 

 times from January to March. By this 

 means a succession of plants with healthy 

 leaves will be secured. 



There is now in cultivation a very 

 large number of Cahvliums, many of 

 which do not differ enough from each other 

 to make them worth growing. The fol- 

 lowing are amongst the best and most 

 distinct : — 



C. Adolphe Adams. Leaves pale green, 

 mottled with white ; centre nerve red. 



C. Alfred Bleu. Pale green, spotted with 

 white, pale pink centie. 



C. argyrites. A very small kind, suitable 

 for gro-wing in little pots ; its leaves look 

 well mixed with cut flowers ; they are 

 light green, blotched and freckled with 

 white. 



C Auguste Leraonier. Shaded green, 

 midrib and nerves crimson. 



C. Bararfdnianum. Dark green, with 

 broad crimson centre. 



C. Belkymei. Large leaves, beautifully 

 variegated. 



C. bicolor splendens. A very strong 

 grower, lovely green ground colour, with 

 deep crimson blotches. 



U. Dr. Boisduval. Centre of leaves 

 crimson, pure white spots. 



C. Calijjiso. Large foliage, red in centre, 

 outer margin mottled with red. 



C. Chuutini fuJgens. Green ground, 

 crimson centre, outer part of leaf-blade 

 spotted white. 



C. Chelsoni. Deep green, blotched with 

 crimson and bright red. 



C. Emilie Verdier. Leaves pale pink, 

 freckled with red ; a distinct and hand- 

 some kind. 



C. Her old. Light green centre with 

 red veins, white speckled, outer margin of 

 leaf a deeper shade of green. 



G. La I'erle du Bresil. Large leaves, 

 with white ground colour, spotted with 

 rose ; nerves and midrib green. 



C. Madame Alfred Bleu. Even blotches 

 of clear white on a dark green ground, 

 nerves very bright red. 



C. Miner ve. Middle of leaves white, 

 outer part green, dotted with white. 



C. Naiwleon III. Bright red centre, 

 oi;ter j^ortion of leaf green, spotted with 

 crimson. 



C Prince Albert Edward. Bright green, 

 profusely spotted with white, crimson mid- 

 rib and veins. 



C. Rameau. Middle of leaves red, shad- 

 ing to green towards the margin, which is 

 spotted white and jrink. 



C. Reine Victoria. Nerves and margins of 

 leaves green, spotted with white and crim- 

 son. 



Insects do not trouble Caladiums much, 

 their smooth leaves and acrid juices not 

 ofi"ering either shelter or food for them ; 

 aphides and red spider, however, will 

 sometimes make their appearance, and 

 these can be destroyed by syringing and 

 fumigation. 



CALAMPELIS SCABRA. 



An evergreen greenhoiise climber of free 

 habit, suitable for covering a considerable 

 space. 



It can be increased by seeds or cuttings 

 struck and grown on like the Tacsonias, 

 which see. 



The flowers are orange-coloured, and are 

 produced in summer. From ChUi. 



CALAMUS. 



A genus of stove Palms of moderate 

 growth. 



