254 



Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 



MUSSiENDA. 



produce specimens that will branch out 

 and hide the surface of the pots (in which 

 way this and subjects of similar habits al- 

 ways look best), it is necessary to stop the 

 young plants in their first stages. Directly 

 they have again fairly broken into growth 

 they will have made roots enough to 

 require a shift ; pots 2 inches or 3 inches 

 larger will be big enough ; drain suffi- 

 ciently. It will succeed in either peat or 

 loam, but we prefer the latter, as in it the 

 growth is more robust, and the plant is 

 able when in flower during the summer to 

 bear removal to a lower temperature than 

 that in which it has been grown, a condi- 

 tion that we have invariably found existing 

 to a greater extent in loam-grown, heat- 

 requiring plants than in such as are culti- 

 vated in peat. The loam should be of a 

 good ordinary description, containing a fair 

 amount of turfy matter not broken too 

 fine, and with enough sand added to admit 

 of the water passing quickly through it. 

 Pot moderately firm and keep the plants 

 where they will be exposed to the full 

 light, with a slight shade in the middle of 

 the day. 



This Mussaenda being found in the hot 

 parts of India requires a brisk heat to 

 grow freely. Admit a moderate quantity 

 of air during the middle of the day, shut 

 up so as to enclose a considerable amount 

 of sun-heat, syringe overhead, and at the 

 same time maintain a genial atmosjahere. 

 It must never be allowed to want for water 

 in the soil, for, although it is not a delicate- 

 rooted subject, and a hard condition is 

 a-ssumed by the old wood, the young shoots 

 are always comparatively soft, and allow- 

 ing it to flag through an insufficiency of 

 moisture has a stunting effect, which limits 

 the growth and in the same proportion its 

 ability to flower. As growth jirogresses, 

 tie the shoots to neat sticks inserted just 

 within the rims of the pots, and again 

 pinch out the points about the end of July ; 

 then shift into pots 3 inches larger, after 

 which time continue to treat as before 

 until the beginning of September, when 

 dispense with the shading, and by the end 

 of the month cease syringing, giving more 

 air so as to gradually bring about a state of 

 rest, to still further induce which reduce 

 the temperature. Keep through the winter 

 at about 60° in the night, with a little 

 more by day, and give just as much water 

 as will maintain the soil in a semi-moist 

 condition. As soon as growth has fairly 

 commenced shift into pots 2 inches laiger, 

 using enough sticks to keep the shoots 

 evenly balanced, and again commence 

 syringing overhead. The points must not 

 now be pinched out, as it would delay 



the flowering ; give proportionately more 

 heat as the days lengthen, with a little 

 shade when the sun is powerful. Towards 

 the end of April the plants will show 

 bloom ; this will be indicated by the ap- 

 pearance of the white bracts, which will 

 go on developing until the (lowers expand. 

 If kept in the stove they will bloom a 

 second time towards the end of summer ; 

 consequently we should not advise their 

 being moved at this fir«t flowering to 

 cooler quarters. When done blooming do 

 not shorten the shoots, but simply pick ofl 

 the decayed bracts and flowers, and at the 

 same time give the plants a good syringing. 

 They will now bear as much heat as is 

 given to the generality of stove plants, and 

 will recommence growth immediately. 

 When two or three pairs of leaves have 

 been made, they will again show flowers, 

 which may be expected to arrive at matu- 

 rity by the latter end of summer, at which 

 time they can be moved to the warmest part 

 of the conservatory ; but while here, like 

 most other stove subjects, they should not 

 be placed where they will be under the 

 influence of external air admitted directly 

 in contact with them. When they are in 

 cooler quarters give no more water than is 

 sufficient to keep them from flagging. After 

 the blooming is over shorten the shoots 

 back to about one-half the length that has 

 been made during the season, and at once 

 return the plants to the stove, where they 

 will again break into growth, although not 

 much progress will be made till spring. 

 Winter as before, and give a 2-inch or 3-inch 

 shift as soon as the plants are fairly in 

 motion in spring. Treat as in the previous 

 season. When the first flowering is over 

 they will be considerably benefited by the 

 application of manure-water once a week. 

 Let the autumn and winter management 

 be similar to that previously advised, and 

 when the time for potting in spring comes, 

 shake out a portion of the old soil, replace 

 with new, and return the plants to the 

 same pots, which will be large enough for 

 all ordinary purposes. As soon as the 

 roots have got fairly hold of the new 

 material, supply manure-water regularly 

 through the growing season, by which 

 means the plants may be kept for years in 

 a healthy condition, a jiortion of the old 

 soil being replaced by new each spring. 



Insects. — Most of those which attack 

 stove plants will live on this Musssenda, 

 although they do not appear so partial to 

 it as some things. The leaves are some- 

 what thin in texture, and are soon injured 

 by red spider, but if in the syringing ad- 

 vised the water is got well to the under- 

 sides of the leaves they will never gain a 



