98 



Greenhuuse and Stove Plants. 



CENTROPOGON. 



to grow them in too much heat ; an inter- 

 mediate temperature of 60° in the night, 

 with 10° moie in the day, through the 

 summer, is better than a higher temjiera- 

 ture, which only produces weak growth — 

 a condition by all means to be avoided. 

 The natural habit is such that little or no 

 support is needed, a single small stick to 

 the main stem being all that is required. 

 Pinch out the points of the leading shoots 

 to induce them to break back and keep 

 compact and bushy. It may be found 

 necessary to repeat this two or three times 

 during the summer. Give them more air 

 than the majority of stove subjects require. 

 This may be managed without interfeiing 

 ynih. the requiiements of othei' plants 

 grown in the same house by placing them 

 near the spot where air is admitted ; but 

 although benefited by a free circulation of 

 the atmosphere, they must not be sub- 

 jected to draughts. Syringe them over- 

 head every afternoon through the growing 

 season, and close the house early enough 

 to raise the temperature considei'ably for 

 an hour or two. Give plenty of water at 

 the roots. By the beginning of July they 

 will want moving into the pots in which 

 they are to flower ; these should be from 6 

 to 7 inches in diameter — not larger, for it 

 is essential to have the soil thoroughly 

 filled with roots before the autumn is too 

 far advanced. If this is not the case the 

 wood does not become sufficiently ripe for 

 the production of flowers to the full extent. 

 Give them at this shift soil similar to that 

 in which they were last potted, and con- 

 tinue to treat in other ways as before until 

 the beginning of September, when they 

 will not need to be longer shaded or 

 syringed ; afterwards give a little more 

 air, and thereby gradually cause a cessa- 

 tion of growth. As the days get shorter 

 reduce the temperature by degrees, keep- 

 ing it at 55° in the night, with a slight in- 

 crease in the daytime. When the flower- 

 buds begin to swell place the plants as 

 near the glass as possible without touching 

 it ; this arrangement will have the effect 

 not only of preventing a dispo.sition to 

 premature dropping but of causing the 

 blooms to open of a brighter colour. At 

 this time an application of clear manure- 

 water of modeiate strength, once a week, 

 will benefit them. By keeping a portion 

 of the plants somewhat cooler than the 

 others a succession of flowers can be had, 

 and those that have been longest blooming 

 should be used for cutting. There is no 

 necessity for any reluctance in cutting the 

 branches to whatever extent may be re- 

 quired, for it is much better to grow on a 

 fresh lot of plants each year than to keep 



the old ones. The latter may, however, be 

 used for decorative purposes in a cut state, 

 as above indicated ; simply retain a plant 

 or two from which cuttings should again 

 be taken in spiing. 



C. florihuiuia. Comes from Guatemala. 

 Its flowers are larger than those of C. 

 rosea, are purplish violet in colour, ami 

 are produced in great profusion. The 

 leaves of this plant are also stained with 

 purple on the under surface. 



C. (jrandiflora. A kind requiring similar 

 treatment, yet not so desirable a plant as 

 the two others. 



C. rosea. A native of Mexico, whence it 

 was introduced over thirty years ago, and 

 at one time was much more generally culti- 

 vated than at present. The increasing de- 

 mand for cut flowers of a showy descrip- 

 tion has jjut it in the shade, few having 

 tried it for the purpose for which it is so 

 well adapted, namely, that of mixing its 

 branches with flowers, with which the 

 colouring and form of the leaves contrast 

 so well. 



Insects. — Most insects that infest stove 

 plants will live on Centradenias. The 

 regular syringing recommended through 

 the growing season will generally keep 

 down red spider, aphides, and thrips ; but 

 when the syringe is found insufficient, they 

 can be destroyed by dipping in a weak 

 solution of insecticide. If mealy bug or 

 scale gets established on the plants, and 

 they are neglected for a time, it is difficult 

 to eradicate them without injuring the 

 leaves ; the liest way of removing the 

 former is to lay the plants on their sides 

 and syringe freely with tepid water ; use a 

 small soft brush for the scale. 



CENTROPOGON LUCYANUS. 



An evergreen stove plant of compara- 

 tively small growth. It is a profuse 

 bloomer, — the current season's shoots are 

 clothed for half their length with quantities 

 of bright ciimson tube-shaped flo\^'ers that 

 are an inch and a half long, and keep on 

 opening through November and December. 

 During this time it is one of the brightest 

 ornaments of the stove. 



It quickly comes to a flowering state, 

 and such examples as can be had from 

 spring-struck cuttings grown on in 6-incli 

 pots are the most useful. The shoots 

 should be supported with sticks for about 

 half their length, and tlie extremities 

 allowed to arch over ; in this position the 

 flowers stand erect above the leaves, and 

 show their bright colour ettectively. It 

 seems strange that this plant should be so 

 little known, and so seldom met with, for 



