278 



Gi-eenhause and Stove Plants. 



PHCENOCOMA. 



as this tends to weaken the plants, and 

 prevents the necessary growth for the sea- 

 son following. The Phcenocoma suffers 

 more from this treatment than most plants, 

 consequent upon its late-liowering disposi- 

 tion, since it naturally comes in later than 

 most hardwooded subjects, and is often 

 kept back for decorative or exhibition pur- 

 poses long after the time that the flowers 

 should have been removed and the plant 

 making growth for the ensuing season. It 

 is, like all others from the same latitude, 

 a light-loAdng subject, that cannot endure 

 at any season to be kept in a dark situa- 

 tion, or where the atmosphere is too close. 

 It is of quicker growth than some things it 

 is nearly allied to ; on the other band it does 

 not, as a rule, live so long, but it is a good 

 grower, :iot so liable to go off suddenly as 

 some of tlie occupants of this department. 

 The plant will succeed in loam, in which 

 soil some grow it, but we prefer good ordi- 

 nary peat. 



Cuttings made of the points of the 

 young moderately strong shoots, some 3 

 inches in length, put in about the begin- 

 ning of August, several together in 6-inch 

 pots filled with sand, stood in an inter- 

 mediate temperature, kept moderately but 

 not too close, fairly moist and shaded, will 

 root during the autumn, when remove the 

 glasses, giving more air and keeping 

 through the winter at about 50'' in the 

 night. As soon as shoot growth is moving 

 pinch out the points. In March move 

 singly into small pots filled with tine peat 

 and sand, keeping up a growing atmo- 

 sphere, with a little shade when the sun is 

 bright, and the material on which the pots 

 .stand moistened daily. Place them in a 

 light position and give air in the middle 

 of the day. By the end of June move into 

 3-inch pots ; use similar soil and treat as 

 before up to the end of August, when cease 

 shading and give more air. Winter at 

 about 45° in the night, and keep the soil 

 now a little drier ; in March move them 

 into 6-inch pots, using soil as before, and 

 again pinch out the points of all the 

 strongest shoots. When they have begun to 

 move freely give a little more air than dur- 

 ing the previous summer, in other respects 

 treat as before, except that the strongest 

 shoots should now all be tied out in a 

 horizontal position. Admit more air again 

 as the autumn advances, and place them 

 for the winter in a good situation near the 

 glass, in a dry house where there will be 

 no drip upon them nor any accumulation 

 of moisture, otherwise they may lose their 

 inside foliage near the base of the .shoots, 

 and be thereby much injured both in ap- 

 pearance and reality. A temperature of 



40" will now answer for them in every 

 way ; they require a little more water at 

 the root than most hardwooded species, as 

 they are never completely at rest, but keep 

 growing on slowly througli the winter. 



Give them a 3-inch shift early in AprU, 

 using good fibrous peat, lighter in texture 

 than required for some plants ; break it 

 moderately fine, and use sand in sufficient 

 quantity to keep the whole in good open 

 condition. Shade in bright weather slightly 

 and keep the atmosphere a little damper, 

 but do not syringe this plant overhead at 

 any time. Again bring the shoots in a 

 horizontal position close down as low as 

 the rim of the pot will admit. This is 

 essential with the Phronocoma, as it is 

 naturally inclined to grow erect, and if the 

 shoots are not trained out while they are 

 young, they will split off when the attempt 

 is made to train them when they get older ; 

 the points of the shoots will soon turn up, 

 the weaker ones near the centre of the 

 plant will gain strength, and the growth 

 become equalised. 



Treat during the spring months simi- 

 larly to other young hardwooded stock. 

 Give slight shade when required through 

 the summer up to the middle of August, 

 after which it should be discontinued, and 

 air may be left on all night, so long as 

 there is nothing to fear from frost. Attend 

 to them in training, by keeping any shoots 

 that take the lead well down, and if there 

 are any much stronger than the rest pinch 

 out their points, which will cause them to 

 break back and fill up. Pot again in 

 spring as advised for the preceding year, 

 giving a 3 or 4 inch shift, according to the 

 strength of the plants, and the condition 

 the roots are found to be in. The soil wiU 

 now do used in a little coarser state, but 

 must be equally good as to its containing 

 plenty of fibre, with sufficient sand, and 

 the drainage must be ample and weU 

 secuied by either a thin layer of sphagnum 

 or pieces of tvirfy peat. The plants will 

 this season make some flower, and it be- 

 comes a question, which will be best 

 answered by each grower, Avhether they 

 are to be allowed to remain on, or be 

 taken off and growth encouraged. If the 

 object is to get the plants as large as can be 

 in the least po.^^sible time, then they should 

 not be allowed to flower ; but when there 

 is a disposition to use them while young 

 for decorative purposes, no harm will be 

 done by letting the flowers open, providing 

 they are not left on too long, and the 

 plants are not injured by being ciowded 

 among other things. But if they do not 

 show flower in good time, that is, so that 

 1 it will open early in June, it should not be 



