116 



Greenhouse and Stuve Plants. 



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little close for a short time after potting, 

 when they may be given a fair anunmt uf 

 air in the early part of the day ; close the 

 house in good time in the afternoons, and 

 syringe them freely always when the air is 

 siiut olf. This must not be omitted after 

 growth has commenced and the weather 

 gets at all warm, as they are very subject 

 to red spider ; but, by timely and con- 

 tinuous syringing through the summer, 

 no inconvenience will be experienced ; 

 turn them round once a week, so that 

 they may get their leaves regularly wet 

 on all sides. They will probably not 

 require anything more, except a regular 

 supply of water to the roots when the 

 soil seems to want it ; do not let the 

 latter become so dry before water is given 

 as is necessary with plants of a more tender 

 nature. 



If any shoots show signs of out-growing 

 the others pinch out their points ; give 

 more air by the middle of August, but keep 

 on using the syringe until the end of Se^D- 

 tember — it will not induce a soft condition 

 of the wood, as with some things, and as 

 this Clianthus is not much liable to mil- 

 dew no harm will be done by the continued 

 use of water overhead. Winter them as 

 advised for the preceding season, and again 

 pot in the spring ; this time, if they have 

 done well, they will require a 3-inch shift, 

 with soil as Ijefore recommended. Still 

 keep the shoots trained out, usin^ a few 

 neat sticks to keep the branches in their 

 wonted position, but it is a plant that does 

 not need much support ; treat after potting 

 and during the summer as last year. They 

 will most likely flower from the principal 

 shoots in July or August, consequently 

 these must not be stopped, or the blooming 

 will be interfered with ; when in flower 

 they can Ije placed in the conservatory, 

 where their bright-coloured blooms, dif- 

 ferent in every way from most of the other 

 occupants, will make them noticeable. 

 After they have done flowering shorten 

 the strong shoots back, and treat as during 

 the previous autumn and winter. Again 

 move them in the spring, giving pots as 

 much larger as last season ; this summer 

 the plants will make a good deal more 

 growth, from the increased root-power 

 which they have attained, and will pio- 

 duce more flowers. If the pots are well 

 filled with roots the ensuing spring, and it 

 is deemed advisable to grow them into 

 large specimens, they may be again moved 

 into bigger pots ; but if moderate-sized 

 plants are preferred give manure-water 

 once or twice a week, and in the spring 

 remove 2 or 3 inches of the surface soil, 

 and replace with new, to which has been 



added one-fifth of rotten manure : treated 

 thus they will la.st for years. 



This Clianthus makes a good plant for 

 covering a back wall or clothing a pillar, 

 either planted out or grown in a large pot, 

 the principal thing l^eing to keep it well 

 and regularly syringed all thrcnigh the 

 growing season. Handsome as it is, with 

 many growers it has got into bad repute, 

 because it is subject to red spider ; this, if 

 allowed to accumulate upon it, makes the 

 leaves shabby and prevents free growth, yet 

 nothing more is required to dislodge it than 

 the free use of the syringe, asalready advised. 



C. magnificus differs little in its flowers 

 from the preceding, but is of a rather more 

 vigorous or larger habit of growth. It re- 

 quires the same treatment in every way, 

 and is in some respects a better plant for 

 training to a pillar or similar situation ; 

 like C. puniceus, it must have a free appli- 

 cation of the syringe. 



Insects. — These Clianthus are not much 

 troubled with insects, except scale and 

 spider, as already mentioned ; if they get 

 affected with brown scale they should be 

 occasionally well sponged over, and in the 

 winter, when at rest, syringed with insecti- 

 cide. If the white species of scale gets upon 

 them there is no recourse but heading back 

 into the hard wood when the plants are in 

 a dormant state, and washing repeatedly 

 with a strong solution of insecticide. Should 

 they be attacked by aphides, fumigate. 



COB^A. 



Where quick-growing evergreen green- 

 house climbers, such as will cover a large 

 sj^ace in little time, are required, these 

 j)lants suit. Although their flowers are 

 not showy they are borne in the greatest 

 profusion, and from their graceful droop- 

 ing habit of growth they are very effective. 

 Cobseas may be proi:»agated either from 

 seeds or cuttings ; if the latter course is 

 adopted pieces about 3 or 4 inches long 

 should in spring be taken off with a heel 

 and put in small pots in a mixture of sand 

 and loam, in moderate heat under a bell- 

 glass. Kept moist and shaded they will 

 root in a sliort time, and when the soil is 

 fairly filled with roots move them into 

 pots 6 or 7 inche^s in diameter, using 

 ordinary sandy loam well enriched with 

 rotten manure. Each plant should have a 

 tall stick to support the shoots ; after they 

 have begun to grow freely a greenhouse . 

 temperature will be best ; give air daily 

 and water sufficient to keep the soil moist, 

 and sprinkle overhead every day with the 

 syringe. By the end of July the plants 

 should be large enough for turning out 



