Greenhouse and Stove Plants 



237 



will prolong their flowering. Young 

 examples struck in the spring will usually 

 be found most useful, consequently when 

 the blooming is over no more need be kept 

 than will suttiee to furnish cuttings the 

 ensuing spring, for which purpose they 

 should be previously cut back and placed 

 in heat so as to secure the requisite growth. 

 It is a native of Brazil. 



There is a form of this Libonia with 

 variegated foliage, in other ways not differ- 

 ing from the green-leaved kind. 



Insects. — To keep down red spider 

 syringe freely, for aphides fumigate with 

 tobacco. 



Lieu ALA. 



A handsome genus of mostly low-growing 

 stove Palms, that deserve to be extensively 

 cultivated. 



Propagation and cultivation given under 

 Palms, general details of culture. 



L. grandis. What the appearance of 

 this magnificent species may turn out to 

 be as it gets older we do not know, but 

 in its early stages of growth it has no 

 equal amongst the fan-leaved section of 

 Palms. It is of stout, moderately close 

 habit ; the leaves are fan-shaped, of a 

 medium size, beautifully plaited, and nar- 

 rowly lobed on the margin. From the 

 South Sea Islands. 



L. horrida. A large fan-leaved species ; 

 like the preceding the leaves are plaited, 

 and are retained in a healthy condition on 

 the plant, so as to give it a well-furnished 

 appearance. From Java. 



LILIUM. 



In these we have one of the finest 

 genus of all cultivated flowering plants, 

 differing much in their appearance. Many 

 of the species that thrive out-of-doors in 

 favourable localities succeed better in pots, 

 where, if treated as they require to be, the 

 amount of flowers produced is much in 

 excess of those obtainable in the open air, 

 under all but exceptionally favourable 

 conditions of soil and climate. One of the 

 essential matters in the cultivation of Lilies 

 is never to disturb them when the roots 

 are in an active condition. 



The ordinary means of increase is by 

 offsets, which most of the kinds produce 

 freely : these should be removed from 

 established plants at the time of repotting, 

 when the tops have died down after 

 flowering. Never by any means defer the 

 potting until the bulbs have begun to form 

 new roots, which most of the species do a 

 considerable time before top giowth com- 

 mences. As will be understood, the time 



for removing the offsets varies mth the 

 difterent species that go to rest at diflerent 

 times of the year, and must be regulated 

 thereby. All that is necessary is to turn 

 tlie plants out of the pots and separate the 

 small oftset bidbs from the large flowering 

 ones, putting the small ones four or six 

 together in pots proportionate to their size, 

 being guided still further by the size the 

 particular kind grows to ; the pots in all 

 cases should be well drained. Most of the 

 sorts thrive in good rich turfy loam, to 

 which is added a fifth part of well-decom- 

 posed leaf-mould, some rotten manure, and 

 sand ; the greater part do best when their 

 bulbs are well covered vriih. soil, by placing 

 them about midway doA\"n in the pots, 

 pressing the soil moderately firm above. 

 They should then be stood away in a house 

 or pit out of the reach of frost, on a slightly 

 moist bottom so that the moisture in the 

 soil will not get dried up, so as to require 

 much water being given until the shoots 

 appear above the surface ; when this 

 occurs they ought to be immediately 

 placed where they will get plenty of light, 

 for if the shoots get at all drawn much 

 harm will be done. After this give water 

 to keep the soil in a sufficiently moist con- 

 dition for the roots to act, but not too wet. 

 During the early spring the best position 

 for them is a pit or frame where the heads 

 of the plants will be near the glass, and 

 frost can be just excluded. As the shoots 

 advance put a stick to each for support, 

 and give water freely as the soil gets full 

 of roots. When danger from frost is over, 

 the plants are better out-of-doors ; if the 

 pots can be plunged in a bed of ashes it 

 will be better for the roots, and there will 

 be less trouble in watering. Continue to 

 supply them with water through the 

 summer until the tops die down, when 

 place them for a few weeks where the soil 

 will be in a medium state as to moisture. 



It is well to do whatever potting is re- 

 quired by all bulbs early enough in autumn, 

 not deferring it until the roots begin to 

 move, which, as already said, does much 

 harm. Young plants such as have been 

 one year removed from the flowering pots 

 in the way advised, may be potted on 

 without being disturbed further than by 

 the removal of the loose soil and a portion 

 of the top of the ball ; larger pots should 

 be given when necessary, and they should 

 be treated through the winter and ensuing 

 summer as in the preceding. If all goes 

 well the bulbs -inll this second summer 

 attain size and strength sufficient to enable 

 them to bloom the year following, after 

 which treat as up to this point advised ; 

 giving more pot-room when wanted, and 



