PLUMBAGO ROSEA. 



Greenhouse and Stove Plants 



287 



replace them in the same pots with new soil, i 

 and in every way treat as in the preceding 

 summer ; so managed annually they will 

 last for years, flowering freely. They may 

 during "the season of active growth have 

 manure-wat^r given them once or t^Wce a 

 week, which will enable them to make 

 stronger shoots and finer heads of flowers. 

 Such as are intended for larger specimens 

 should not be cut in nearly so close, the 

 shoots may be shortened to within about 

 12 inches of where they were cut back to 

 in the spring previous ; if the plants have 

 made satisfactory progress they will bear a 

 4 or 6 inch shift ; remove a portion of the 

 old soil, and now use the new material in 

 a more lumpy state than in the first pot- 

 ting ; the after treatment through the 

 spring and summer in other respects should 

 be the same as the season previous. Attend 

 to training the shoots as they progress; 

 as the plants get strong they will make 

 comparatively lengthened growths that 

 will require the use of either a wire trellis 

 or a number of moderately strong sticks 

 round which to train the shoots ; do not 

 tie in the points too closely, or they will 

 have an objectionably formal aj^pearance. 

 After flowering they will again need cut- 

 ting back ; winter them as before and 

 repot in the spring. They may be confined 

 to the same pots, shaking away a portion 

 of the exhausted soil and re])lacing it with 

 new, or if they are required to be grown 

 into large specimens they can have more 

 root-room given them ; so managed they 

 will last for a number of years, and will be 

 much assisted by ehe use of manure- water 

 during the growing season. 



This Plumbago is an excellent plant for 

 training to a conservatory pillar, where if 

 allowed to hang somewhat loosely it has a 

 fine appearance ; in such a position it may 

 be either kept in a moderatly large pot, 

 and the soil i^artially renewed every spring, 

 or it can be planted out. When it is wanted 

 to cover a back wall or a considerable ex- 

 tent of rafter, the most satisfactory method 

 will be to plant it out in a prepared border. 

 This must have the usual sufficient drain- 

 age, and should be composed of 8 or 10 

 inches of good turfy loam with enough 

 sand to keep it open ; in planting see that 

 the roots are not allowed to remain in the 

 curved state which the pot has necessarily 

 kept them in — when any plant of this de- 

 scription is turned out in an open border, and 

 the roots are allowed to stay in such a posi- 

 tion they do not usually make satisfactory 

 progress. Restrict the quantity of water 

 until the plants have commenced gio%ving 

 freely, after which they will require a good 

 supply both at the roots and overhead by 



the syringe ; attend regularly to stopping 

 and training, especially in the first stages 

 of growth, so as to furnish the space regu- 

 larly, cutting back every winter to induce 

 the production of young flowering shoots 

 over the whole portion the plants are 

 wanted to cover. When the soil becomes 

 exhausted remove a few inches of the sur- 

 face each spring, replace it with new, and 

 still further encourage growth by the use 

 of manure-water. 



Insects. — The plant is somewhat liable 

 to the attacks of red spider, if not sufiii- 

 ciently syringed overhead, but when this 

 is attended to regularly as advised no 

 trouble is likely to be occasioned by it. 

 Aplxides will live upon the young shoots, 

 and may be destroyed either by syringing 

 witli tobacco-water or by fumigating. Scale 

 sometimes affects it, and is most eft'ectually 

 removed by washing with a strong solution 

 of insecticide Avhen cut back in the winter. 



PLUMBAGO ROSEA. 



This Plumbago is one of the handsomest 

 winter blooming stove plants that we 

 possess. Individually, the flowers are not 

 unlike those of a miniature Phlox Drum- 

 mondii, and are produced freely on long, 

 erect terminal spikes from the points of 

 the previous summer's shoots. It is of a 

 somewhat spare branching, erect habit of 

 growth, and furnished with handsome 

 medium-sized leaves. It is not suitable 

 for being formed into permanent bush -like 

 specimens, such as many of the ordinary 

 stove plants, but is better adapted for 

 medium-sized pots to be grown in quantity 

 for autumn and winter blooming, at which 

 season its bright rose-coloured flowers are 

 among the most attractive ornaments of 

 the stove. It is also fitted for training so 

 as to cover an end wall in a light position 

 or for a pillar. The flowers are thin in 

 texture, and unless they have been brought 

 on and matured under the most favourable 

 conditions in close proximity tc the glass, 

 they are liable to flag soon after being cut 

 from the plant. It has long been known 

 in this country, having be'en introduced 

 from Eastern India over a hundred years 

 ago, but it still holds its place as one of a 

 select few winter blooming subjects that 

 have not many equals amongst recent in- 

 troductions. Coming as it does from the 

 warm parts of India considerable heat is 

 required to grow and flower it well, and, 

 except where an ordinary stove tempera- 

 ture can be maintained in the winter it is 

 not advisable to attempt its cultivation, as 

 without enough warmth the flowering will 

 be deficient ; at the same time it is well to 



