Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 



ttire as tlie weather gets warmer, giving 

 air and syringing as in the preceding 

 summer ; again pinch the points of any 

 shoots that are out-growing the others. 

 By July the pots should be so far filled 

 with roots as to necessitate another shift, 

 that is if pot culture is to be the course 

 followed ; if not, they should be planted 

 out in a prepared border of limited extent, 

 so as not to give the roots too much room 

 to run, well drained, and filled with good 

 free loam ; in either case encourage all the 

 growth possible until the end of September, 

 after which time give no more water than 

 is requisite to keep the leaves from flagging, 

 and winter as before. Early in March in- 

 crease the temperature to 50° or 55°, and 

 give a good watering ; this will have the 

 effect of inducing the flowers to push. As 

 the bloom-buds begin to swell increase the 

 heat a few degrees more, which maintain 

 until the blooming is over ; then shorten 

 the shoots in moderately, and if the plants 

 have been in pots they will require a 5 or 

 6 inch shift; treat in every way as ad- 

 vised for the preceding summer, and again 

 similarly in winter. 



The spring following the plants should 

 make a fine display. They will last for 

 years provided the soil, if they are in pots, 

 is partially renewed, and growth is still 

 further assisted by manure-water ; if 

 p)lanted out, give soil to the surface of 

 the bed when required, with a good soak- 

 ing of manure-water when the summer 

 growth is making progress. 



Insects. — If red spider or aphides make 

 their appearance fumigate with tobacco or 

 syringe with insecticide. Should mealy 

 bug or scale attack the plants they must 

 be removed by syringing with insecti- 

 cide. 



MACLEANIA. 



A small genus of plants possessing con- 

 siderable beauty in their flowers, but little 

 grown. 



They are increased by shoot cuttings, 

 which strike best if put in during spring, 

 and treated in the ordinary way in a warm 

 close atmosphere ; pot them when rooted, 

 and grow on in peaty soil in an inter- 

 mediate temperature. 



M. longifim-a. An evergreen shrub, 

 bearing red, tube-shaped flowei's, which 

 open late on in spring. From Peru. 



M. pulchra. A shrubby evergreen species 

 with vivid red flowers, yellow at the ex- 

 tremities ; a summer bloomer. From New 

 Grenada. 



AI. speciosissima. A very interesting 

 shrub, dift'ering much in appearance from 



the above-named kinds, inasmuch as it is 

 of drooping habit. The flowers are scarlet 

 and yellow. It comes from Columbia. 



Insects. — Aphides and red spider will 

 both live and thrive apace on these plants; 

 to keep free from the latter syringe regu- 

 larly through the growing season. For 

 aphides, dip in tobacco-water or fumigate. 



MACROZAMIA. 



These belong to the Cycad family, and 

 are a very distinct and handsome section 

 of the genus. They are nearly related to 

 the Zamias. Their cultivation is similar 

 to the cooler Cycas, which see. 



The following is a selection of desirable 

 kinds : — 



M. cylindrica. A handsome sort, with 

 long, dark green, pinnatifid leaves, with 

 ivory markings at the base. From Queens- 

 land. 



M. MacKenzii. A distinct-looking kind 

 that attains a moderate size. Queens- 

 land. 



M. plumosa. A plant of moderate growth ; 

 the leaves being twisted in a spiralfashion 

 give it a singular appearance. Queensland. 



MAGNOLIA FUSCATA. 



This plant comes from China, and 

 belongs to a genus almost all of which 

 assume the proportions of moderate-sized 

 trees, and are too large for cultivation 

 under glass. It may be increased by 

 cuttings made of the points of the shoots 

 late in summer when the wood is nearly 

 ripe, put singly in small pots in sand, 

 covered with a bell-glass, and stood in a 

 cool greenhouse or pit and kept cool until 

 they are callused over at the bottom, when 

 they shoiUd be put in a temperature of 

 about 50°, where they will root before 

 spring. Then move them into 6-inch pots 

 and keep them in a temperature like that in 

 which they have made roots, until further 

 on in the season. When some progress 

 has been made in top growth, pinch 

 out the points of the shoots and give air 

 daily, with a littleshade in very hotweather. 

 Ordinary greenhouse treatment will be all 

 that is now needed, syringing regularly 

 overhead. By the end of June the plants 

 will bear putting into 10-inch pots — good 

 turfy loam with a little sand is the material 

 required. Again pinch out the points of 

 the shoots, and continue to treat as before 

 imtil autumn. Winter in a temperature 

 of 40°, in spring give larger pots, and 

 treat through the growing season as in the 

 summer previous. The plants will grow 

 fast now, and will be large enough to 



