234 



Greenhouse and Stove Pbints. 



LESCHENAULTIA. 



is headed back, if kept in a temperature too 

 low to excite growtli, that it eitlier dies or 

 breaks weakly — the roots, under such con- 

 dition, generally suffering more than they 

 otherwise would through the severance of 

 the branches. If affected with white scale, 

 they will require cutting back to the hard, 

 mature wood, and dressing with strong in- 

 secticide : the mixture should be washed 

 well into the equalities of the bark, and 

 the dressing repeated sevend times before 

 the plants break into growth. 



LASTREA. 



A genus of Ferns, containing stove, 

 greenhouse, and hardy species ; most of 

 the tender sorts are inferior in appear- 

 ance to the generality of stove or green- 

 house kinds, but those who form collections 

 may deem a few worth growing. 



For propagation and cultivation, see 

 Ferns, general details of culture. 



STOVE SPECIES. 

 L. melanocaulon. 



L. membrmiifolia. Isle of Luzon. 

 L. patens. West Indies. 



GREENHOUSE SPECIES. 



L. aristata variegata. Japan. 



L. decomposita. Australia. 



L. decurrens. Japan and China 



LATANIA. 



A genus of handsome cool stove Palms, 

 of easy culture. They are manageal)le in 

 size in the early stages of their growth, but 

 as they get old require much room. 



The method of propagation and after 

 management will be found under Palms, 

 general details of culture. 



L. aurea. This is a very strong grower, 

 with thick leaf-stalks, the leaves are 

 palmate in shape, deeply divided and dis- 

 tinctly plaited. From the Mauritius. 



L. rubra. A handsome species, with 

 strong leaf-stalks, red in colour. The 

 leaves, which are palmate, ai'e deeply 

 divided, and distinctly plaited. From the 

 Mauritius. 



LESCHENAULTIA. 



These fine evergreen greenhouse plants 

 are natives of New Holland ; they com- 

 prise some half-dozen species and varieties. 

 L. biloba major is justly esteemed as one 

 of the finest plants in cultivation. Its 

 splendid light blue flowers have no equal 

 among plants of this class ; tliey are pro- 

 liuced freely from the points of the shoots 



in sj)ring and summer, and last five or 

 six weeks in beauty. A well-flowered 

 example of this Leschenaultia is not only 

 a hne and attractive subject in itself, 

 but from its distinct habit of growth and 

 colour it harmonises with any other plants, 

 more especially those bearing yellow 

 flowers, such as the Allamandas, from 

 which cause it has always been a favourite 

 with exhibitors. There is no plant that 

 has a more telling effect, or is a greater 

 source of attraction on the exhibition stage, 

 yet here, of late years, it has not been so 

 often seen as in time past. There are 

 several reasons that account for this ; it 

 does not attain so large a size as most of 

 the subjects now grown for showing are 

 requireil to do, consequently where a 

 reasonable uniformity in size is looked for, 

 it is found too small. It is also a short- 

 lived plant, liable to get into bad condition, 

 or go off, without any apparent cause. 

 Nevertheless, it is a subject that deserves a 

 better fate than to get into the list of 

 neglected plants, where there is some 

 danger of its going. It is one of the things 

 the cultivation of which no young plant 

 grower should rest satisfied until he has 

 mastered. It requires difi'erent treatment 

 from most other plants, and any attempt 

 to grow it under the exact conditions 

 that some natives of the same country 

 want, will end in failure. Three princijjal 

 things to observe are : — In potting not a 

 single root must be injured that can be 

 avoided, not even by the removal of the 

 crocks ; in the winter it must not be 

 allowed to remain long in a temperature 

 lower than 45° ; and it should never be 

 stood in the open air. The first and last 

 of these will cause the stunted condition 

 that it often gets into, and from which it 

 rarely recovers, and a lower temperature 

 than that named will speedily lead to the 

 attack of mildew, to which it is much 

 subject. 



To ensure success it is necessary to have 

 free young plants to begin with — without 

 this there is little prospect of their doing 

 well. 



This Leschenaultia strikes freely from 

 cuttings made of the points of the young 

 shoots about 3 inches in length, taken off 

 early in spring ; put them 2 inches apart 

 in pots filled with sand, cover with a pro- 

 pagating glass, keep moist, and shaded in 

 an intermediate house and they will root 

 in six or eight weeks, when gradually 

 expose tliem to the full air of the house 

 and pinch oft" the tops of the shoots — as soon 

 as they begin to move fieely putting them 

 singly in 3-inch pots in fine peat to which 

 a good sprinkling of sand has been added ; 



