Greenhouse and Stove Piunts 



CONVALLARIA. 



will show flower, which will open some 

 weeks later on. It will not be advisable 

 to remove them from the stove to cooler 

 <iuarters this season, as it would check 

 their pro,a;ress, and the object will be to 

 increase their size and ability to bloom the 

 ensuing; summer. As the autumn advances, 

 again give more air and less moisture, 

 treating them as before through the winter. 

 Before growth commences the ensuing 

 spring, if any over-long shoots exist they 

 may be shortened back, but the knife must 

 on no account be used too freely, or it will 

 limit their power to flower. About the 

 same time as previously they should be 

 turned out of their pots, and any loose soil 

 at the tops of the balls that the roots have 

 not taken hold of ought to be removed. 

 Give them a 2-inch or 3-inch shift, and 

 treat subsequently through the season as 

 pre\aously. When in flower they may be 

 moved, as already mentioned, to a some- 

 what lower temperature during the warmest 

 pait of the summer. Each spiing they 

 ought to be turned out of the pots, and as 

 much of the soil removed as can be got 

 away without much disturljing the I'oots, 

 replacing it with new material ; but the 

 pots already recommended will be large 

 enough for ordinary purposes, the plants 

 being assisted during the gi-owing season 

 with manure-water once or twice a week. 

 When grown on the roof or similar posi- 

 tion, all that is required is to keep them 

 regularly trained, not tying the shoots in 

 too closely ; in most cases it will be found 

 1 letter to confine the plant to a pot than to 

 turn it out — not the least advantage of 

 this plan is that so grown it can be at any 

 time moved to another place, and it will 

 last for years in a pot when faiily treated. 

 Insects. — Aphides, thrips, and red 

 sjiider can easily be kept do\vn by the use 

 of the syringe. If aff"ected with scale or 

 mealy bug, dip in or syringe with insecti- 

 cide. 



CONOOLINIUM. 



Pretty flowering plants that thrive in an 

 intermediate temperature. 



They can be raised fiom seeds sown in 

 spring in moderate heat in a mixture of 

 loam and sand ; after the plants are large 

 enough to handle move them singly into 

 3-inch pots filled with material similar to 

 that in which the seed was sown. Stand 

 them near the glass, in a temperature of 

 55° or 60° in the night, with air and shade 

 by day, keeping the atmosphere moderately 

 humid, and syringing overhead in the after- 

 noons. By the end of June give pots a 

 size larger, treat afterwards until autumn 



as in the early part of summer, and winter 

 at about 50°. More pot-room will be 

 required in spring, but they do not need so 

 much root-space as many things. 



The undermentioned are the most de- 

 serving of a place : — 



C. atrorubens. Is sufficiently distinct to 

 be woitli growing. 



C. iantliinum. A distinct kind that 

 bears interesting flowers. 



Insects. — Aphides are troublesome on 

 these plants during the summer ; for their 

 destruction syringe freely with clean water 

 and fumigate with tobacco. 



CONVALLARIA MAJALIS. 



(Lily of the Valley.) 



This deservedly popular plant is one of 

 the best for winter forcing. To have it 

 early, say by Christmas, it is necessary to 

 have strong well-deveh^ped crowns that 

 have completed their growth early, such 

 as the roots grown in Germany or other 

 parts of Europe, where the climate permits 

 of earlier maturity than is possible in ours. 

 They are now imported in quantities for 

 early forcing. This Convallaria will bear, 

 in the matter of heat, treatment diff'erent 

 from that of most plants, and to get it in 

 early it is necessary to subject it to a high 

 temperature. Unlike other plants that re- 

 quire to have time after potting for root- 

 action to precede their forcing, it will 

 submit to a high temperature as soon as 

 jiotted. Select the largest and strongest 

 crowns, and put them nine or ten together 

 in 5 or 6 inch pots, using ordinary loam 

 with a little sand. In potting leave the 

 tops of the buds above the soil, which press 

 moderately firm about the roots ; then 

 immediately plunge the pots in a bottom 

 heat of 85°, putting some light material such 

 as leaf-mould or cocoa nut fibre over the 

 whole to the depth of an inch or two. In 

 the course of a foitnight the crowns will 

 have so far started into growth that the 

 flower stems will be visible ; then lift the 

 pots out of the plunging material and put 

 them in a shallow frame with a light to fit 

 it, which frame the house the plants are in 

 should be provided with ; tilt the light an 

 inch or two, shade the glass heavily so that 

 little light will reach the tender blanched 

 growth. If exposed to much light at first 

 while in this condition failure will follow, 

 as the flowers will not move further. As 

 the white shoots get harder gradually 

 remove the shading, tilt the lights more 

 and give water as required. The plantij 

 will soon bear the full light of the house 

 so as to be stood well up to the glass ; 

 during the time that elapses after lemoval 



