236 



Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 



on account of tlieir soft, nature are difficul* 

 to clean. If the insect gets into the points 

 of the shoots after the flowers are set, it 

 will in a very few clays destroy them. 

 When afl'ected with this insect the plants 

 must be fumigated. It is also much sub- 

 ject to mildew, which is almost imper- 

 ceptible upon it, and not seen until the 

 leaves begin to fall off through its effects. 

 Sulphur is the best remedy, dusted all 

 over, but the parasite is most generally 

 produced by too low a temperature during 

 the winter months — it should never be 

 allowed to fall lower than already in- 

 dicated. 



L. formosa has scarlet flowers, which it 

 opens freely almost all the year round. 

 This is a desirable plant, and deserves 

 more general cultivation than it now 

 receives ; it is a smaller grower, easier to 

 manage, and longer-lived than L. biloba : 

 it will in the winter bear keeping cooler, 

 but does much better with a temperature 

 similar to that advised for the blue variety. 

 It is more procumbent in habit, and a 

 much slower grower, and requires some- 

 what diflerent treatment ; it is a liner 

 rooted plant, but is not so impatient of its 

 roots being touched, consequently when 

 potted it should have the crocks removed. 

 The soil should be similar in every way to 

 that already recommended for L. biloba, 

 except that it will be benefited hj the 

 addition of a sprinkling of broken crocks, 

 about the size of horse beans. It is a free- 

 rooting subject, and requires more pot- 

 room than its size would lead one to 

 suppose. It does not need much tying to 

 support it, and very little pinching of the 

 shoots, as it is naturally a compact brandl- 

 ing plant. To induce it to get on while 

 young, the flowers should be picked out 

 regularly as they are formed. So free of 

 flowering is it that a newly-struck cutting 

 will bloom. In other respects its cultural 

 requirements are the same as for L. biloba. 

 Like the last-named variety it is subject to 

 the attacks of aphides, for which it should 

 be treated in a similar manner. 



L. Baxteri major and L. intermedia, 

 bearing orange flowers, are very free 

 growers, similar in habit and in the general 

 treatment they require ; they are profuse 

 bloomers, and equally deserving of cultiva- 

 tion, especially for purposes of general 

 decoration. 



LEUCADENDRON ARGENTEUM. 



This is the only species among a con- 

 siderable number included in the genus, 

 that finds any favour with cultivators. It 

 is the Witteboom or Silver tree of the 



Cape ; it grows to a good size, reaching a 

 height of 10 or 12 feet, but is pretty in a 

 small state, to which it can be kept for a 

 considerable time under pot-culture. The 

 leaves are silvery- white both on the upper 

 and under surface. It will thrive imder 

 treatment such as advised for Rhopalas, 

 which see. A native of the Cajje of 

 Good Hope, 



LEUCOPOGON. 



These are evergreen greenhouse shrubs 

 with neat habit of growth ; but although in 

 common with most plants from the same 

 countries they flower freely, they are not 

 sufficiently effective to be rated at more 

 than secondary value for decorative pur- 

 poses. They thrive under like conditions 

 to those advised for Epacris, which see. 



The most desirable are : — ■ 



L. Cunninghamii. White. A summer 

 bloomer. Australia. 



L.juniperinus. Flowers white, produced 

 in summer. A native of New South 

 Wales. 



L. Richei. White ; also a summer 

 bloomer. From New Holland. 



LIBONIA FLORIBUNDA. 



In this we have a small, compact-growing, 

 softwooded plant that bears a profusion of 

 tube-shaped flowers, dull red and orange 

 in colour. Its free-flowering disposition 

 makes it useful for greenhouse decoration, 

 especially in the autumn months. 



Cuttings of the soft young shoots should 

 be struck in March, put several together in 

 small pots filled with sand, and stood in 

 a temperature of 60^^. Kept moist and 

 shaded, they will root in a fortnight, when 

 move singly into 3-inch pots in loam, to 

 which add some leaf-mould and sand. 

 Stop the shoots and keep in a temperature 

 similar to that in which the cuttings were 

 struck until a little later in the spiing, 

 when they have begun to grow freely, after 

 which less heat will suffice. Give a mode- 

 rate amount of air, with a little shade in 

 sunny weather, syringe overhead daily, 

 and supply water to the roots, as required 

 by other quick-growing plants of a like 

 description. In two months from the first 

 potting enough progress should have been 

 made to admit of the plants being moved 

 to 6 or 7 inch pots, which in most cases 

 will be found big enough to flower them 

 in ; now mix some rotten manure with the 

 soil, again stop the points of the shoots, 

 and contiuTie to treat as before. As the 

 pots get filled with roots and the plants 

 come into bloom give manure-water, which 



