140 



Greenhouse and Stoce Plu/ita. 



DAPHNE INUICA. 



Iksects. — As alieiidy intimated, red 

 spider is partial to these Cyti.suses, but Avhere 

 the precaution of diligent syringing is con- 

 tinued through the growing season this 

 pest can be easily kept in check. If by 

 any chance it happens to get a footing on 

 them it can be destroyed by dipping, or 

 thoroughly syringing overliead with in- 

 secticide, li" affected with brown scale, 

 dip or wash with strong insecticide when 

 the plants have been cut back before 

 growth commences. 



D^MONOROPS. 



A genus of ([uick-gruwiug stove Palms, 

 ^\'ith somewhat slender stems, and large, 

 handsome leaves. 



Propagation and cultivation given under 

 Palms, general details of culture. 



D. Jissiis. A distinct and handsome 

 species. From India. 



D. palembanicus. A stately species, with 

 large arched pinnate leaves ; the pinnae 

 long and about 3 inches broad ; the leaf- 

 stalks are stout, proportionate in length, 

 and furnished with large and formidable 

 spines. It conies from Java. 



DALECHAMPIA ROEZLIANA 

 ROSEA. 



This plant is more singular than hand- 

 some ; the flowers, or rather the bracts, 

 which are most conspicuous, are deep pink 

 in colour, produced in summer, but are not 

 so effective as to give it a high position 

 among flowering stove species. 



It is easily propagated from cuttings 

 of the soft shoots, which if put in sand 

 during spring, kept moist, close, and 

 shaded in a temperature of 70°, will 

 root in a few weeks, when they should be 

 moved singly to 4-inch j)ots. Ordinary 

 loam with a little leaf-mould and sand 

 Avill grow the plant well ; stop the points 

 ■<jf the shoots, and keep in an ordinarj' 

 stove temperature, with shade and air in 

 the day, and a moist atmosphere. It is a 

 rapid giower, and will bear moving into 8 

 or 9 inch pots by the middle of June, when 

 again stop the shoots. Continue to treat 

 as before until autumn, and A^dnter in a 

 night terapeiature of 65°. Give pots a 

 couple of sizes larger in spring, raising the 

 temperature, and treating generally as in 

 the summer before. The plants will 

 bloom for a considerable period during the 

 season ; they will flower in a small state 

 if little plants are tliought desiraljle. 

 From Vera Cruz. 



Insects. — Red spider and aphides are 

 sometimes troublesome, especially the 



former, if syringing is not attended to 

 daily in the growing season ; for aphides 

 fumigate. 



DAMMARA. 



I\Iost of the cultivated species of these 

 plants attain the proportions of trees ; but, 

 like the Araucarias, can be kept for a time 

 so that they can be accommodated in a 

 good-sized conservatory, where from their 

 distinct appearance they are effective. 



They thrive under conditions such as 

 advised for Aivaucarias, which see. 



D. alba. Origin uncertain. 



T). Brovmii. Origin uncertain. 



IJ. Moorci. A native of New Caledonia. 



D. obtasa. Conies from Aniteura. 



DAPHNE INDICA. 



This highly fragrant evergreen green- 

 house plant, of which two varieties occur, 

 is a native of China. It is a scjmewhat 

 slow grower, compact in habit, and does 

 not attain a large size, but it has a re- 

 markably free disposition to bloom. There 

 ai'e few flowers, excepting the Rose, 

 more prized for their fragrance than these 

 Daphnes. A small plantwlien in bloom will 

 scent a whole house. For this purpose 

 they are highly esteemed for placing in 

 conservatories, especially when these are 

 connected with dwellings where the pre- 

 sence of fragrant flowers is a desideratum. 

 The large number of Daphnes annually 

 propagated in some nurseries, coupled 

 with their being such general favourites, 

 would lead to the supposition that they 

 -wcjuld be more frequently met with than 

 they are. That they are not so much 

 grown is accounted ifor by the fact that, 

 although easy enough to grow when they 

 receive the treatment they require, they 

 are almost certain to die or linger out a 

 dwindling existence if managed on the 

 unintelligent system of treating all things 

 alike that will conform to any particular 

 temperature, more especially in the two 

 very important operations of potting and 

 watering. 



It is to the fact of these plants being too 

 often treated after this general sort of 

 fashion that their not thriving with many 

 growers is to be attributed. Either when 

 grafted or on their own roots they are very 

 spare rooters, and cannot bear ovei'-potting. 

 If as much root- room is given them as re- 

 quired by many things it is all but im- 

 possible to keep them in health. They 

 are also very impatient of too much water, 

 and never, even when making active 

 Laowtli, must water be given before it is 



