LESCHENAULTIA. 



Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 



235 



continue to keep tliera a little close and in 

 an intermediate temperature with a thin 

 shade in the middle of the day, syringing 

 overhead at shutting up time in the after- 

 noons. By the beginning of August, the 

 points of the shoots should again be pinclied 

 out ; leave off shading as the autumn 

 flraws (ni, and give more air. Winter near 

 the glass in a temperature of 45° by night, 

 with 10° more in the daytime. In March 

 move them into 6-inch pots, and in the 

 course of a month or 6 weeks they should 

 have the points of the shoots again pinched 

 out. Never let the soil get too dry, and 

 keep the pots stood on a moist bottom but 

 with more air than through the preceding 

 summer, and a little shade when the sun is 

 very powerful , syringe in the afternoons 

 as before up to the middle of August, after 

 which discontinue it, and keep through the 

 autumn and winter as previously. About 

 Christmas nip out all the points of the 

 shoots ; it is necessary not to defer this 

 for the plant is a continuous grower, and 

 if the stopping is deferred until sjiring 

 time is lost. About the end of March 

 remove into pots 3 or 4 inches larger, 

 according to the quantity of roots they 

 have. It is, unlike many hardwooded 

 plants, a very free rooter ; it will grow in 

 good fibrous loam, and it is better to give 

 it that than indifferent peat, but where 

 good peat full of fibre is obtainable, it is 

 the best ; use it in a lumpy state, not 

 breaking so fine as for most things. If the 

 peat naturally contains but little sand, add 

 one-sixth, and mix well. Instead of turn- 

 ing the plants out in the usual way, which 

 would more or less injure the tender fleshy 

 roots, the pots should be broken. Do not 

 attempt to disturb a single root by removing 

 the diainage, but transfer all together into 

 the new pot ; make the soil firm. 



The plant is naturally an upright grower, 

 and, as soon as potted, it should have all 

 the strong shoots bent down to a horizontal 

 position, bringing the more vigorous close 

 to the rim of the pot. This wall cause 

 them to break back through their Avhole 

 length. For two or three weeks they 

 should be kept a little closer, and the stage 

 under them sprinkled ; but keep them 

 well up to the glass. By the beginning of 

 May thej^ wall have taken to the new soil, 

 and be growing freely. Now, as the 

 weather gets wanner, commence to syringe 

 overhead in the afternoons, and close in siin- 

 heat ; continiie this, and keep the stage and 

 floor damp until the end of August, after 

 which cease the use of the syringe, and 

 keep the house drier, giving more air. 

 Treat tlirough the autumn and winter as 

 in the previous season, keeping the plants 



tied into shape. Do not now pinch out the 

 points of the shoots until the end of 

 February, as, if strong and stopped so 

 early as in the preceding year, they would 

 most likely set a second lot of flower.s, 

 which would seriously interfere with their 

 growth. Pot about the middle of April, 

 the additional root-room they receive must 

 be in accoidance with the progress the 

 plants have made ; if very strong they will 

 want a 4-inch shift, as heretofore moving 

 the whole mass, roots and crocks ; give a 

 little shade in the middle of the day for a 

 few weeks. Train and tie the young shoots 

 w-ell out, so as to keep them in the desired 

 shape, which should be round and bushy, 

 for if allowed to assume the pointed 

 pyramidal form, the higher shoots will 

 take the lead, and starve the branches near 

 the base. 



About midsummer stop all the points of 

 the shoots, treat afterwards as before, 

 keeping the plants drier overhead towards 

 autumn, wath more air. Give them all 

 the light possible through the winter, but 

 the temperature must not be lower than 

 previously. They will, if all goes well, set 

 bloom freely about March, and must not 

 have any cold current of air admitted 

 upon them, or receive a check in any 

 other way, for if subject to such the blooms 

 wall soiuetimes go blind. If the plants 

 are intended for exhibition the shoots 

 must be properly secured by tying, so that 

 they will not chafe in carriage, or they 

 will be disfigured. If used for decorative 

 purposes they must not be crowded among 

 other things, for in a very few days they would 

 be inj ured thereby. After flowering shorten 

 the shoots back half way between the 

 points and the place where they were 

 stopped back to in the previous summer. 

 Place them in a house that is kept a little 

 close lor a short time until they have 

 broken. When they have made half an 

 inch of growth repot, gi^ang a 2 or 3 inch 

 shift, moving them as before directed in 

 every way, and subjecting them to 

 autumn and winter treatment as in the 

 previous year. 



This Leschenaultia is not a long-lived 

 subject, consequently those who grow it 

 should each year start a few young plants 

 to supply the place of those that get worn 

 out and refuse to grow freely. It is some- 

 times attacked by greenfly, which must be 

 sought foi', as they do not thrive well upon 

 it, and consequently are small, and being 

 almost the colour of the leaves, are not 

 easy of detection ; notwithstanding, if 

 allowed to remain unmolested even for a 

 short time, they will by the dirt they 

 deposit upon them injure the leaves, which 



