Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 



133 



C. recurvata variegata. This lias noble 

 plaited leaves, from 20 to 24 iiiclies long, 

 t)orne on stalks 15 to 18 in length, bright 

 green in colour, irregularly banded with 

 white. 



Insects. — Scale, mealy bug, and thrips 

 sometimes are troublesome, but the cha- 

 racter of the leaves admits of their being 

 easily got rid of by syringing and sponging. 



CQROUMA. 



The species of Curcuma that find favour 

 ivith cultivators are few in number ; they 

 belong to a somewhat limited family of 

 herbaceous plants, mostly indigenous to the 

 hot districts of Eastern India ; and, there- 

 fore, in order to grow them well, they re- 

 quire a considerable amount of heat. C. 

 longa produces turmeric, which is much 

 used by the natives of India on account of 

 its medicinal properties. Curcumas are 

 •of moderate growth, their leaves attaining 

 •a height of 2 feet. The flowers, which 

 spring from the crowns of the plants, are 

 borne on stout foot-stalks ; they are very 

 singular in aspect, and lust for weeks little 

 impaired in appearance. 



Their distinctness of foim renders them 

 acceptable additions to the occupants f>f 

 the stove, especially where as much variety 

 as possible is desired. They come into 

 bloom during summer and autumn, when 

 flowers are scarcer than earlier in the sea- 

 son. Aftei' they have bloomed they may 

 be dried oft' like Gloxinias or similar things, 

 keeping their roots in a toleralily warm 

 place whilst at rest. They may be increased 

 by means of oftsets. These, as well as the 

 larger roots, should be potted and started 

 into growth in the spring. The small 

 offsets ought to be kept by themselves and 

 grown on to acquire more strength. An 

 8-incli pot will be laige enough for four of 

 the smaller roots, and a 10-inch or 12-inch 

 pot for a similar number of the larger size. 

 They will succeed in either peat or loam, 

 or in a mixture of both ; but where ])eat 

 can be had of good quality, containing 

 plenty of hbre, it is to be preferred ; that 

 which is of a compact, soapy nature is not 

 fit for Curcumas, even if incorporated with 

 leaf-mould, rotten manure, or loam. Con- 

 sequently where nothing better than such 

 can be obtained, it is ad\-isable to grow 

 them in loam, in all cases using plenty of 

 sand to keep the soil in a thoroughly 

 porous condition ; for if the water cannot 

 pass freely through it, the feeding fibres of 

 the roots will make little progress, and in 

 that case the growth above ground will not 

 be satisfactory. One-sixth rotten manure 

 added to the peat or loam — whichever is j 



used — -win tend to greatly increase the 

 strength of the plants. The pots should 

 be well drained with 2 inches of crocks, 

 over which a little porous material ought 

 to be laid to keep the soil from getting 

 down and clogging the drainage. Press the 

 compost in the pots, filling them up to 

 about two-thirds their depth ; then put in 

 the roots, and cover over with soil to 

 within an inch of the rim. Place them in 

 a temperature of 65° at night, allowing 10" 

 higher in the daytime, and do not give too 

 much ^^'ater to the soil until the young 

 shoots have appeared above the surface, 

 when it may be kept more moist. "When 

 fresh started they may be set on a tan 

 bed in the centre of the house ; but as 

 soon as the young groA\i:hs appear, they 

 should be moved to where they will receive 

 sufficient light to prevent the leaves be- 

 coming drawn. This is of more importance 

 in the case of these plants than in that oi 

 most others, as theii' flowers do not rise 

 above the foliage in the ordinary Avay. 



A tliin screen will be rec^uired when the 

 weather is bright, but do not subject them 

 to permanent shade. As the days lengthen 

 and sun-heat increases, laise the tempera- 

 ture to 70° at night, and correspondingly 

 higher in the daytime. Give a moderate 

 amount of air, but do not let them be in a 

 draught by placing them too near where 

 air is admitted. "With these, as with 

 almost all plants that require heat, growth 

 will be accelerated by closing the house 

 whilst the sun is yet upon the glass, as the 

 influence of solar heat in promoting growth, 

 especially in the afternoons when the at- 

 mosphere is well charged with moisvure, is 

 much more conducive to strength and 

 healthy development than is fire-heat. 

 When' the house is shut syringe overhead 

 freely, and continue this treatment i;ntil 

 they show flower, when the syiinge vriH be 

 of no fiuther use, but the atmosphere must 

 not Ije kept too dry. The flowers have a 

 tubular 3-toothed cal_\-x ; the tube of the 

 coiolla is dilated above, five of its lol)es 

 being ecpial, but the lip is large and spread- 

 ing. As the flowers open the plants may 

 be inured to more air, and when expanded 

 they may be removecl to the conservatory 

 if it is kept at an intermediate tempera- 

 ture ; but if not warmer than an ordinary 

 greenhouse, they must not be allowed to 

 remain in it after the weather has become 

 cold. After that they should be returned 

 to the stove and supplied Avith warmth, 

 and water at the roots until the leaves 

 show signs of decay, when the amount of 

 water may be gradually reduced in quantity 

 till the tops are dead, M'hen they shoidd be 

 kept dry. They should not, however, be 



