Greenhouse and Stove Plants 



179 



condition of tlie plants and the size and 

 strength of the species grown. From this 

 time forward they will not need much, if 

 any, stopping, except in the case of such as 

 have bloomed early in the spring, and in 

 other respects they should be managed as 

 in the past season. If kept free from in- 

 sects and fairly treated they will last for a 

 number of years, assisted during the groov- 

 ing season with a regular supply of manure- 

 water. When they get into pots as large 

 as it is desirable to put them, and the soil 

 in these is exhausted, they may be headed 

 back to half their size, and, when they 

 have broken, be turned out of the pots, 

 have the old soil removed, and placed in 

 smaller ones. Thus treated, they can be 

 furnished with strong flowering shoots, 

 even superior to what they possessed in the 

 early stages of their existence. 



The undermentioned sorts are all de- 

 serving of cultivation : — 



F. acaminata. An old, but handsome 

 kind, distinct in appearance. The flowers 

 are purple. A native of Rio de Janeix'o. 



F. confertiflora. A free, dense-growing 

 species, one of the finest exhibition plants 

 in existence, and suitable for conservatory 

 decoration, the deep pui^ple coh^ur har- 

 monising well with that of almost any 

 other flower. It comes from Brazil. 



F. confertiflora variegata. A form of the 

 preceding, with leaves prettily variegated 

 with white. The flowers are in no way 

 dift'erent from those of the original species. 



F. calycina major. This is a large- 

 flowering, strong-wooded kind, ovith ample 

 leaves and very large deep-coloured flowers; 

 the latter are not produced in such numbers 

 as in the case of F. confertiflora, but, never- 

 theless, it is a splendid sort. From Brazil. 



F. eximia. A somewhat erect-habited 

 plant of moderate growth, producing large 

 heads of purple flowers. Also a native of 

 Brazil. 



F. Hopeana (uniflora). A small-growing 

 species that produces its flowers freely 

 from short spurs up the branches, as well 

 as from the points of the shoots and axils 

 of the leaves. The colour is pale purple or 

 lilac, changing to white. Brazil. 



F. Lindenii. A smallish-growing species, 

 with dull-coloured leaves and very bright 

 purplish flowers. A very desirable plant 

 for general decorative purposes, not so well 

 known or so extensively grown as it de- 

 serves to be. Brazil. 



Insects. — Thrips, red spider, and green- 

 fly "will sometimes make their appearance 

 upon Francisceas, but, from the repeated 

 use of the syringe during the growing 

 season, they do not often become very 

 troublesome. Copious syringing and fumi- 



gation will be found sufficient to destroy 

 these pests. Should mealy bug and scale 

 appear they should have no quarter, or 

 they will, if allowed to get numerous, re- 

 duce the plants to a condition that pre- 

 cludes the possibility of their flowering 

 satisfactorily. They must be diligently 

 sought after during the growing season, 

 and the sponge and a soft brush used for 

 their destruction, and when the plants are 

 at rest give repeated washings, syringings, 

 and dippings with some insecticide. 



FRANCOA. 



These are herbaceous plants, natives of 

 Chili ; they are nearly hardy, and do well 

 in a cool gieenhouse. Although they have 

 been long known in this country, they are 

 not so numerous as their merits entitle 

 them to be. F. ramosa is particularly 

 valuable, for where a sufficient quantity of 

 this kind is grown to admit of its being 

 freely used, its tall, slender flower-stems 

 produce a telling effect. Francoas are pro- 

 pagated from seeds. They can be sown at 

 different times, from February to mid- 

 summer, but the earlier period will usually 

 be found the best, as then the seedlings 

 have all the season before them to attain 

 strength : the seed should be sown in a 

 well-drained pan filled with sifted peat, 

 to which enough sand has been added to 

 keep it open. Press the soil down smooth, 

 do not sow the seeds too thickly, and only 

 just cover them with a little of the finest 

 soil. Before sowing see that the material 

 is moist enough w'ithout being too wet. 

 Put a sheet of glass over the top — this will 

 keep the surface damp and so prevent the 

 necessity for giving much water until the 

 seeds have vegetated ; stand the pan in a 

 temperature of 50°, which will be quite 

 w^arm enough. As soon as the seedlings 

 make their appearance dispense with the 

 glass over the pan, give water as required, 

 and stand the plants where they will get a 

 fair amount of light. When they are big 

 enough to handle prick them out 2 inches 

 apart in large pans of well-prepared soil — 

 either peat or good loam Avill answer ; if 

 the latter is used add as well as some sand 

 one-sixth of leaf-mould. They will get on 

 faster for a time this w-ay in pans than if 

 put at once into little pots, on account of 

 the soil being more easily kept in right 

 condition as to water. By the end of May 

 remove them to a greenhouse, or frame, 

 keeping them moderately moist, and giving 

 air daily. Before the leaves get crowded 

 put the little plants singly into 4 or 5 inch 

 pots, and encourage them to make growth. 

 Some of the strongest will most likely 



