ERIOSTEMOiV. 



Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 



167 



that they are free from mildew, to the 

 attacks of which they are more or less 

 liable ; aud if any trace of the parasite is 

 discovered dust the affected jjlant over with 

 flowers of sulphur, laying it down on its side 

 to keep the sulphur from getting to the soil, 

 for if washed down to the roots (as would 

 occur in the operation of watering) it would 

 be highly injurious. Allow it to remain 

 on for a few days, after which wash clean 

 off with the syringe. 



ERIOSTEMON. 



These evergreen greenhouse plants are 

 natives of New Holland and New South 

 Wales, and in every way deserving of 

 general cultivation. They are compara- 

 tively easy of growth, not subject to die off 

 suddenly, or get out of health ; they are 

 profuse flowerers, and their pink buds and 

 white flowers render them well adapted 

 for associating with other plants in bloom 

 or otherwise. Their natural season of 

 blooming is March, April, May, and June, 

 according as they have been prepared by 

 retarding or otherwise ; but, if required, 

 they can be brought into flower much 

 earlier in the winter, as they will stand 

 moderate forcing, more especially the Box 

 and Oleander-leaved varieties, E. buxifolius 

 and E. neriifolius ; they also will bear 

 treatment and grow under conditions that 

 would be fatal to many hardwooded plants, 

 and are thus suitable for beginners in the 

 cultivation of hardwooded greenhouse 

 plants. They flower freely in a small 

 state, and consequently are well adapted 

 for consei'vatory decoration, where, if al- 

 lowed sufficient room, they will receive little 

 injury during the time they arc in flower. 

 Even when not in bloom, their dense fresh 

 green foliage renders them at all times in- 

 teresting if they are well grown. They 

 are the freest-rooting of New Holland 

 plants, and cannot bear cramping for want 

 of pot-room in the early stages of their 

 existence ; they rarely make good healthy 

 progress it they have been at all put-bound. 

 They will bear without injury a continuous 

 lower temperature during the winter sea- 

 son than most plants, but in their early 

 stages they should never be submitted to 

 such treatment, as it has a tendency to 

 check root-action. 



Eriostemons are easily propagated from 

 cuttings made of the points of the half- 

 matured shoots, such as are to be had about 

 the beginning of August ; these should be 

 put in, about 3 inches long, several together, 

 in 6 or 7 inch pots, filled with sand, and kept 

 close, moderately moist, and shaded in an 

 intermediate heat. Here they should root 



sufficiently to bear moving singly into 

 small pots during the autumn ; keep 

 through the winter in a temperature of 

 about 50° by night, and pinch out the 

 points of the shoots before growth begins 

 in spring. About the end of May enough 

 root-jDrogress should have been made to 

 admit of their being moved into 3-inch 

 pots ; shade slightly in bright weather 

 through the spring and summer, give air 

 in the middle of the day, moisten the stage 

 and paths, and use the syringe overhead at 

 the time of shutting up. Treat through 

 the autumn so as to induce the ripening of 

 the growth, and winter at about 45° in the 

 night. Towards the end of March give a 

 3-inch shift in good fibrous peat, to which 

 one-sixth sand may be added. 



It is not necessary to break the peat so 

 small as in the case of such plants as are 

 more sjiare and tender-rooted, but let the 

 sand be well mixed with the peat, as these, 

 like all others that have a greater compara- 

 tive amount of leaf-surface, require more 

 water, and consequently must have the soil 

 in which they grow in such a condition as 

 to admit of the water passing through it 

 without danger of getting in the course of 

 time too retentive. If the plants have any 

 over-strong shoots, these should be cut 

 well back, or they will draw the sap from 

 the branches near the base of the plant so 

 as to completely spoil them. Bring down 

 to the rim of the pot all the strongest 

 central branches, leaving such as are weaker 

 upright, in which position they -will gain 

 strength, and thereby equalise their growth. 

 With Eriostemons it is necessary to be 

 more particular in the matter of training 

 than with most plants, as they have a 

 natural disposition to push these over- 

 strong branches that rob the weaker ones. 

 Place them in a house where they will 

 be kept at a night temperature of not less 

 than 45°. Close the house early ; keeja the 

 atmosphere in a state conducive to free 

 growth by a liberal use of water on the 

 stages and paths. As the weather gets 

 warmer in May syringe the plants over- 

 head every afternoon. This not only pro- 

 motes growth, but keeps in check red spider, 

 by which they are sometimes attacked ; 

 continue the use of the syringe every after- 

 noon until the end of August, after which 

 they should be gradually hardened off by 

 a drier atmosphere, and the admission of 

 plenty of air night and day through the 

 following month. Eriostemons are not 

 subject to mildew, consequently there is 

 no necessity at this stage of their growth to 

 expose them in the open air with a view to 

 hardening them, and this more especially 

 as the object for the coming season will not 



