226 



Greenhuuse and Stove Flautn. 



LACHENALIA. 



to twine to the supports, or become en- 

 tangled with each other they are difficult 

 afterwards to regulate without injury. 

 They should be kept through the autumn 

 and winter in a temperature of from 35° 

 to 40° in the night, and 10° or so warmer 

 in the day, but not so high as to excite 

 any growth, or they will suffer when the 

 roots are disturbed in planting out, which 

 should be before growth begins early in 

 the spring ; the border in which they are 

 to be planted may be from 1 to 2 feet in 

 ■width, according to the space to be covered. 

 It should have 4 inches of drainage in 

 the bottom, consisting of crocks, broken 

 bricks, pebbles, or anything of a similar 

 nature, on which place an inch or two of 

 fibrous material, over this put 10 or 12 

 inches of the soil, which should have a 

 good quantity of sand mixed with it, and 

 a sprinkling of crocks or charcoal will be 

 an additional assistance in keeping it sweet. 

 In planting disentangle the roots so far as 

 can be done without injuring them, spread 

 them out and make the soil tolerably firm. 

 Do not give water until it is required, 

 which, if the soil at the time of planting is 

 in right condition as to moisture, will not 

 be nearly so soon as in a pot. Train the 

 shoots in their places. Nothing has T)een 

 said about stopping — the necessity or other- 

 wise for this will depend upon the number 

 of shoots the plants have and the require- 

 ments of the situation. A single shoot to 

 each wire will, in most cases, be preferable 

 to more. They will require little further 

 attention except water at the roots as 

 needed, keeping the shoots from getting 

 entangled, and a sufficient use of the 

 syringe during the growing season to keep 

 down aphides and red spider. When they 

 have filled their allotted space the shoots 

 must be reduced from time to time during 

 summer and in the autumn, cutting in as 

 far as requisite. Wlien the soil gets at all 

 exhausted, an inch or two each spring may 

 be removed and replaced with fresh, and 

 manure-water during the growing season 

 will also be a great assistance to them. 



The undermentioned kinds are deserving 

 of a place : — 



K. Fredwoodii. An Australian plant, 

 a good grower, and free bloomer. Flowers 

 red. 



K. inophylla. This is a fine scarlet kind. 

 A New Holland species. 



K. Makoyana. A Swan Eiver plant, 

 with scarlet flowers. A free grower. 



K. Marryuttce. A handsome scarlet- 

 flowered species from Australia. 



K. vioiwphylla. A strong-growing sort 

 from New South Wales with purple flowers 

 freely produced. 



K. nigricans. Flowers purple and green. 

 It is from New Holland. 



K. ovata purpurea. Is from New Hol- 

 land. It has purple flowers. 



K. ruhicunda,. A strong-growing kind 

 from New South Wales. Flowers deep red. 



Inskcts. — If they ever get aff'ected with 

 scale, the best method of dealing with 

 them is to partially head them down in the 

 winter, when at rest, cutting into the strong 

 wood, untwining this from the wires, and 

 steeping the whole down as near as can be 

 got to the collar in insecticide ; repeat the 

 operation two or three times in the course 

 of a few weeks, before they have begun to 

 break, and brush it well in about the collar 

 of the plants. After cutting back thus 

 severely they must not be over-watered at 

 the roots, and much less must be given 

 until they have made progress. 



KENTIA. 



This beautiful genus of Palms was at 

 one time included in Areca, but has been 

 separated from it. Several of the kinds 

 stand at the head of the list of cultivated 

 Palms, not alone for their beautiful form, 

 but also because they succeed well with no 

 more warmth than an ordinary greenhouse 

 affords. 



For propagation and cultivation, see 

 Palms, general details of culture. 



K. australis. A handsome species, with 

 thin, yet well-proportioned stem ; the 

 leaves are pinnate, and attain a moderate 

 length as the plant acquires age. From 

 Lord Howe's Island. 



K. Belmoreana. A grand species, with 

 a markedly distinct habit. The stem is 

 of medium stiength, the leaves are pinnate, 

 the long pinnae prettily curved, in addi- 

 tion to which the upper portion of the 

 leaves is so beautifully arched as to give 

 a vase-like appearance to the plant. It 

 comes from Lord Howe's Island. 



K. Canteryhuryana. A strong-growing 

 kind, with long pinnate leaves. Lord 

 Howe's Island. 



K. Fostcriana. A large, strong-growing, 

 handsome species, with long pinnate leaves 

 that spread horizontally. From Lord 

 Howe's Island. 



K. Wendlandiana. — A very handsome 

 species recently introduced ; the leaves are 

 pinnate, the segments somewhat unequal 

 in length. It attains a large size. From 

 Queensland. 



LACHENALIA. 



These are bulbous plants of small growth, 

 natives of the Cape of Good Hope, ancl 



