Greenhou.se and Stove. Plants 



283 



rooted plant it succeeds the best in good 

 fibrous peat, to which add one-sixth or one- 

 seventh of sand, according to the nature of 

 the peat. 



Insects. — As to insects, it will be under- 

 stood by what has been said that the whole 

 of the species are more than most things 

 subject to the attacks of red spider, and 

 unless they are kept free from it their 

 cultivation \\\\\ not be satisfactory. The 

 continued use of the syringe as advised 

 will keep them clear from this pest. 

 Greenfly sometimes aliects them ; for this 

 fumigate. Brown scale will live upon 

 them, but does not increase fast, and can 

 be removed with a sponge and brush. If 

 afl"ected \\dth the white species of this 

 insect it is better to destroy them, as the 

 plants will not bear any dressing that will 

 kill it. 



PLATYCERIUM. 



The few species of which this genus ot 

 stove and greenhouse Ferns is composed 

 are among the most singular of all vegetable 

 forms. They offer a marked contiast not 

 only to other Ferns but to all cultivated 

 plants. P. alcicorne, the Elk'.=; Horn Fern 

 (so named from the likeness the fertile 

 fronds have to the horns of that animal) is 

 the best known kind, but by no means the 

 finest; for size and general appearance the 

 palm is borne by P. grande and P. Walli- 

 chii, both of which are majestic plants. 



For propagation and cultivation, see 

 Ferns, general details of culture. 



STOVE SPECIES. 



P. biforme. East Indies. 



P. grande. Malay Archipelago. 



P. Stemvuiria. Africa. 



P. Wallichii. Malacca. 



GREENHOUSE SPECIES. 



P. alcicorne. New South Wales. 

 P. Willinkii. 



PLATYLOBIUM. 



Evergreen greenhouse shrubs that bloom 

 freely, but only hold a place second to many 

 in cultivation. 



Their method of propagation and subse- 

 quent treatment is siuular to that which 

 answers for Chorozemas (which see) except 

 that they do not require the shoots to be 

 stopped in their early stages so often as is 

 needful in the case of the taller-growing 

 Chorozemas. 



The following are the best kinds : — 



P. formosum. Flowers orange, pro- 



duced in summer. A native of New 

 Holland. 



P. Murrayanum. Has yellow and red 

 flowers ; a spring bloomer. From Van 

 Dieman's Land. 



P. triangulare. Orange-coloured flowers; 

 blooms in suuuner. From Van Dieman's 

 Land. 



PLATYLOMA. 



The species included in this genus of 

 stove and greenhouse Ferns are few in 

 number, and not so important from the 

 gardening stand-point as many others. 

 Those requiring cooler treatment will 

 generally be found the most desirable. 



For propagation and cultivation, see 

 Ferns, general details of culture. 



GREENHOUSE SPECIES. 



P. brachyptera. California. 

 P. Brownii. Australia. 

 P. flexuosa. Peru. 

 P. intermedia. 



PLEROMA ELEGANS. 



This is an evergreen greenhouse species, 

 and when first flowered in this country, 

 many years ago, it made quite a sensation, 

 its unrivalled rich purple blossoms were 

 the admiration of all who saw it — and no 

 wonder, for, when seen either by itself, or 

 in company with other flowering subjects, 

 it has few rivals. It is, however, when 

 the plant, well flowered, stands beside 

 something complementary in colour — say 

 a good example of Allamanda, or a nicely 

 bloomed Cassia corymbosa — th:it it is seen 

 to advantage. Yet so distinct is it in 

 colour and habit, that there is not a plant 

 -with, which we are acquainted, of any 

 colour, either in the conservatory or on the 

 exhibition stage, that it does not harmonise 

 with, and that is not improved by its 

 presence. The individual blossoms do not 

 last very long on the plant — some three or 

 four days from the time they open — yet 

 this is compensated for by their being pro- 

 duced in succession in clusters of three to 

 half-a-dozen on the points of the shoots. 

 'When cut their duration is somewhat 

 similar, but if taken from the plant when 

 half open, there is no flower in existence 

 that is more telling in a bouquet to be 

 seen by daylight. Under the influence of 

 artificial light the flowers lose much of 

 their lustre, consequently they are not to 

 be recommended for use under such con- 

 ditions. It is found indigenous in the 

 Organ Mountains, so will bear a little more 

 warmth than some greenhouse plants ; in 

 fact its cultivation has been attempted in 



