184 



Greenhouse and Stove Plants 



GESNERA, 



it is a distinct and desirable kind, and 

 does nov take up too much room. The 

 stem is of moderate strength, the leaf- 

 blade large, plaited and entire, bifid at 

 the extremity, presenting a perfect con- 

 trast to the pinnate-leaved species. Central 

 America. 



G. Verschaffeltii. A handsome kind, with 

 moderate-sized leaves, sufficiently distinct 

 in form from the species before named. It 

 comes from South America. 



GESNERA. 



The species of Gesnera generally culti- 

 vated are mostly tuberous-rooted plants, 

 but others are also grown. The greater 

 portion of them are indigenous to Brazil 

 and the South American continent, con- 

 sequently they are stove plants, and a con- 

 sidei'able amount of warmth is necessary 

 in order to grow them successfully. Some, 

 like G. Cooperii, bear a profusion of in- 

 tensely vivid scarlet flowers, which remain 

 long in perfection ; othere, of which G. 

 zebiina may be taken as a type, possess, 

 in addition to handsome red and yellow 

 flowers, exquisitely beautiful leaves, the 

 upper surface of which is clothed with 

 reddish hairs, thus giving it a soft velvet- 

 like appearance. The moderate size which 

 Gesneras attain, and their naturally free 

 growth, render them well worth a place 

 amongst the most easily managed of stove 

 plants. 



The tuberous species may be propagated 

 at different times of the year, according to 

 the early or late period at which they are 

 started into growth. The most satisfactory 

 method of propagation is by means of 

 cuttings made from the young shoots, which 

 spring freely from the crown, as in the 

 case of Gloxinias. Supposing the plants, 

 after blooming in summer, to have been 

 gradually dried off, they should, at the 

 beginning of the year, be placed in a moist 

 stove, with a temperature of 60" in the 

 night, and a rise of 10° by day, giving just 

 as much water as will slightly moisten the 

 soil ; thus treated they will soon commence 

 to grow. Wlien the shoots have attained 

 a length of about 2 inches they may be 

 taken off" immediately under the first joint, 

 and the leaves removed therefrom ; put 

 them in a well-drained pan in which is 

 placed a little fine sandy soil, filling up 

 with, silver sand. Insert the cuttings 

 sufficiently far apart to prevent crowding ; 

 give a little water, and cover with a bell- 

 glass. If bottom heat can be supplied they 

 will root quicker. As they strike readily 

 they will, in the course of a few weeks, 

 have rooted sufficiently to bear moving 



into small pots, which must be well 

 drained and filled with a mixture of 

 sifted loam, to which has been added one- 

 fourth of sifted leaf-mould, and as much 

 sand as will give porosity to the whole ; 

 water slightly, and again partially cover 

 for a few days with glasses, or put tliem 

 in a propagating frame, to which admit 

 air gradually, and, as soon as they give 

 evidence of making growth, inure them 

 by degrees to the full air of the house. In 

 the course of six or eight weeks tliey will 

 have made considerable progress, and will 

 require removal into pots 4 or 5 inches in 

 diameter, in soil of a character similar to 

 that employed for the first potting, but in 

 a rougher and more lumpy condition. 

 Through the summer subject them to an 

 ordinary stove temperature, with sufficient 

 air during the day. Keep them near the 

 glass where they will receive plenty of 

 light, but they should have a little shade 

 in the middle of the day during bright 

 weather. A neat stick to each will be 

 necessary to supjiort the shoot. Stopping 

 should be avoided, as the object this first 

 sea.son is to encoui-ige all the leaf-growth 

 possible, upon which will depend the size 

 and strength which the tubers will attain. 

 From their natural free habit of flowering 

 the strongest plants will very likely form 

 flower-spikes towards the end of summer ; 

 but as the object is, as has just been stated, 

 to get as much strength as possible into 

 the tubers, we should recommend the 

 bloom being pinched out, as, if allowed 

 to go on, it will considerably restrict the 

 growth of the plants. All through the 

 season they must be attentively watered at 

 the roots and syringed overhead in the 

 afternoons when the house is closed. 

 Keep the soil sufficiently moist so long as 

 they evince a disposition to grow, after 

 which cease syringing, give less shade, but 

 do not allow the soil to become dry so long 

 as the leaves retain full vitality. When they 

 begin to show signs of going to rest gradu- 

 ally withhold water until the tops are dead, 

 when the soil should be allowed to become 

 almost quite dry. The pots should now 

 be placed on a shelf or in some position 

 at the coolest end of the stove, where they 

 will be secure from drip from the roof or 

 from water running from other plants. 

 We mention this, for it is a common occur- 

 rence to see tubers of these and other 

 plants when at rest put under stages or 

 on damp floors from which they either 

 absorb moisture, or receive that which 

 drips from above, by which means the 

 soil, instead of being all but dry, is so wet 

 that it either causes decay or prematurely 

 starts them into growth. They must not 



