HELICONIA. 



Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 



203 



HEDYCHIUM. 



Among these stately herbaceous stove 

 plants are some of the most beautiful and 

 sweet-scented flowers we possess. They 

 belong to the natural Order ZingiberaceiT, 

 and grow to a height of from 3 feet to 6 

 feet ; the flowers are produced in the form 

 of large erect spikes from the apex of the 

 shoots that are formed annually from 

 strong fleshy crowns. They are strong- 

 growing plants that require a considerable 

 amount of pot-room, otherwise they do not 

 acquire sufficient strength to flower well. 

 They look best when grown to a size that 

 will produce from three to half-a-dozen 

 blooming stems yearly ; being remarkably 

 free growers, they soon attain dimensions 

 that enable them to do this, and it is an easy 

 matter to confine them within such limits, 

 as the plants will bear di\iding annually if 

 required. Their propagation is by division 

 of the crowns, which is best effected early 

 in spring before the young buds at the 

 base begin to move in the least. They 

 should be turned out of their pots, and the 

 roots so far as possible separated, retaining 

 as many as may be to each of the old or 

 preceding year's shoots ; put these singly 

 into 8-incli or 10-inch pots, according to 

 the size and strength of the pieces. Good 

 ordinary loam, to which a little rotten 

 manure and some sand are added, answers 

 best for them ; they should then he placed 

 in a temperature of 60°. It is not well to 

 hurry them by too much warmth im- 

 mediately after division ; better let the 

 roots have time to re-establish themselves 

 before exciting top growth, or the shoots 

 made the first summer will not be so likely 

 to bloom. Give more warmth as the sea- 

 Bon progresses, but it is not necessary to 

 keep them very hot. We have found that 

 although they will bear a high temperature 

 they will do with less warmth than 

 many things that come from the same 

 countries. 



A cool stove or intermediate temperature 

 mil answer well for them. Give plenty of 

 water when they begin to grow ; this is 

 necessary, for though their leaves would 

 not flag like those of many plants if too 

 dry, their growth would certainly suffer to 

 some extent. They will succeed best wdth 

 more air than the generality of stove sub- 

 jects want, and they need no more shade 

 than is found necessary to prevent the 

 leaves being scorched. When the young 

 growth has reached its full size the stems 

 may be observed to thicken towards the 

 top previous to the emission of the bloom- 

 spikes. The time of flowering is sooner or 

 later during; the summer, according to the 



heat they receive and the time growth 

 begins. They will stand, while in bloom, 

 in a conservatory or cool house, where they 

 will look well in association with other 

 plants. After flowering place them 

 through the autumn and winter in a 

 temperature of 55° ; the old stems that 

 have previously flowered may each year be 

 cut away about the time the young growth 

 approaches its full size ; up to this they 

 assist the shoots that spring from their base. 

 In the spring give pots 2 inches or 3 inches 

 larger, removing some of the old soil and 

 replacing it with new. The subsequent 

 treatment needed will be to give more 

 root-room as required, and when the plants 

 have got as large as wanted, they can 

 either be divided into single cro\\Tis in the 

 way advised or simply cut in two. 



There are a good many kinds in cultiva- 

 tion ; the undermentioned is a selection of 

 the best : — 



H. angmtifolium. A strong-growing 

 species ; it bears handsome red flowers. 

 East India. 



H. coronarium. A stately species, with 

 yellow flowers and handsome foliage. 

 East India. 



H. Gardnerianum grows to a height of 6 

 feet ; flowers yellow, one of the best ; a 

 native of East India. 



H. gracile. A dwarfer-habited sort than 

 any of the preceding, bearing very hand- 

 some white flowers. It wants a little more 

 heat than most of the species. Found in 

 Bengal. 



H. lovgifolium grows to a medium height 

 and bears deep red flowers. From India. 



H. thyrsiforme. A beautiful white- 

 flowered kind that grows to a medium 

 height. This is from Nepal. 



Insects. — Hedychiums are little troubled 

 with insects, their large smooth leaves not 

 affording much harbour for them ; red 

 spider sometimes affects them, but can 

 easily be removed by syringing with clean 

 water. Should they become affected with 

 scale, sponging is the best remedy. 



HELICONIA. 



These are herbaceous stove plants, nearly 

 related to the Musas, but have much the 

 appearance of Diefl'enbachias. They have 

 bold, handsome foliage, and are very ef- 

 fective among the fine-leaved section of 

 plants, to which they belong. Their 

 cultivation is similar to that of Dieffen- 

 bachias, which see. 



H. aureo-striata. This species has large 

 ovate-cordate leaves, the ground colour of 

 which is dark green, profusely covered 

 with broken yellow lines running from the 



