146 



Greenlwuse and Stove Plants. 



DICKSONIA. 



attains a height of about 3 feet, and does 

 not need a great deal of room. It deserves 

 a place in the gardens of those who are 

 fond of singularities in the way of phints. 

 It comes from India, and therefore likes a 

 considerable amount of heat at all times. 



Insects. — Aphides and red spider, as 

 well as others of the worst description of 

 insects that prey on stove plants, will 

 sometimes attack this Desmodium ; the 

 daily use of the syringe during the growing 

 season will generally suffice to keep the 

 smaller ones in check. Should scale or 

 bug affect the plants, sponge with tepid 

 water. 



DICHORISANDRA. 



These are very distinct-habited stove 

 plants indigenous to Brazil and South 

 America ; they are evergreen herbaceous 

 in habit, with strong Reed-like stems, 

 growing to a height of from 2 to 4 feet, and 

 bearing broad, lanceolate, cordate leaves ; 

 the flowers are produced in a compact 

 cluster at the top of the shoots. They are 

 principally late summer and autumn 

 bloomers, at which season their decided 

 blue flowers — a colour common to most of 

 the species — are very effective. They are 

 easily gro-\vn where a moderately high 

 temperature can be kept up, and are well 

 adapted for associating with most of the 

 more easily cultivated hothouse plants, to 

 which their erect habit presents a decided 

 contrast. 



Their propagation is in no way difficult ; 

 they are best increased by division of the 

 crowns, which can be separated readily 

 with a strong knife, retaining to each a 

 portion of roots. This should be done 

 early in the spring, just before they begin 

 growth, which will, as a matter of couise, 

 be regulated by the amount of warmth the 

 plants have been subjected to during the 

 winter— their season of comparative rest. 

 We have found them to succeed best in peat 

 to which has been added a moderate 

 quantity of sand. When the crowns have 

 been thus separated, they should be placed 

 in pots large enough to admit their roots 

 with sufficient soil ; if they are strong, 

 6-inch pots will not be too large. Put them 

 at once in a temperature of 65°, or a few 

 degrees higher in the night. They will 

 soon begin to grow, after which supply 

 them liberally with water. Stand them 

 where they will get a full volume of light, 

 for if kept too dark the shoots will be 

 drawn vrp too tall. In the matters of air 

 and shade, treat as for ordinary stove 

 plants, syringing them freely overhead 

 when the house is shut up in the after- 



noons. By the middle of May the plants 

 should be ready for larger pots ; 8 or 9 

 inches in diameter will not be too big, 

 using soil similar to that already advised. 

 Through the summer they will bear a 

 liberal amount of heat such as is found to 

 answer for most stove subjects, regulated 

 in accordance with the weather. Beyond 

 this nothing further will be required. 

 The strongest of the plants will fiower 

 through the autumn, after which they may 

 be subjected to a gradually reduced tempe- 

 rature, keeping them at about 60° in the 

 night thr'ough the winter. In spring 

 again give more heat and repot, giving 

 them a 2 or 3 inch shift, treating sub- 

 sequently in other respects as advised for 

 the previous summer. In years to come 

 the size of the plants will be regulated by 

 individual requirements ; they may be 

 grown large, so as to have a dozen or rrrore 

 flowering stems each season, in which case 

 the root-room needed will be proportionate. 

 The old stems should be cut away annually 

 to make room for the young growth. 



As to the kinds grown, there is a con- 

 siderable sameness in their appearance ; 

 consequently it is not necessary nor 

 advisable to cultivate too many. Among 

 the most desirable are the following : — 



D. albo-marginata. Stems of moderate 

 strength. Flowers white and blue. From 

 Brazil. 



B. mosaica. Three to 4 feet high. 

 Beautiful deep blue flowers, borrre orr 

 handsome Bamboo-like stems ; the foliage 

 bold and distinct. A native of the Amazon 

 country, and one of the best of the species. 



B. Saundersii. Stems 2 to 3 feet high. 

 This makes dense racemes of white violet- 

 tipped flowers. Introduced from Brazil 



D. thyrsiflora. A strong grower, like 

 those already named, of erect habit. It 

 blooms in summer ; flowers deep purple. 

 Brazil. 



D. undata. A stout-growing plant with 

 Reed-like stems ; the flowers blue, and 

 produced in summer. From Brazil. 



In addition to being deserving of 

 cultivation on account of their flowers, all 

 the above have handsome foliage. 



Insects. — Their smooth glossy leaves do 

 not afford much harbour for insects, of 

 which the least difficirlt to contend with 

 will be easily kept down by syringing. If 

 scale or mealy bug make their appearance, 

 syringe with insecticide aird sponge care- 

 fuUy. 



DICKSONIA. 



A small genus of magnificent greenhouse 

 Ferns, among which are several of the 



