194 



Greenhouse and Stove Plants 



PRATIA. 



as to lay the foundation of bushy sjie'ci- 

 Die.ns. 



By the middle of August they should 

 have made sufficient progress to require 

 sliifting into 6-inch or 7-inch pots, after 

 which encourage them to make growth, so 

 that their roots may get well hold of the 

 soil before the short days necessitate a re- 

 duction of the temperature. During the 

 growing season syringe overhead daily, but 

 discontinue this, and also shading, by the 

 middle of September ; after that time 

 gradually reduce the heat to 60° at night 

 and keep theni correspondingly cooler by 

 clay ; continue in this way throughout the 

 winter, giving them less water at the roots, 

 but yet not allowing the soil to get so dry 

 as to cause the leaves to Hag. 



In spring raise the temperature, and 

 move them into pots 3 or 4 inches larger 

 than those they are in ; treat them in other 

 respects as in the previous summer. They 

 may be expected to bloom about mid- 

 summer, and, in addition to their hand- 

 some appearance, will give an agreeable 

 perfume to the house. 



After they have done flowering, shorten 

 the shoots and encourage them to make 

 growth before autumn ; to help this 

 manure-water should be given once a week 

 until the middle of Sepiember. Treat 

 through the winter as before, and in spring 

 turn them out of their pots, remove a little of 

 the old soil from the top of the balls, and give 

 pots 2 or 3 inches larger. Apply more heat 

 as the summer advances. This second 

 season they will have gro^vn large enough 

 to produce a fine head of bloom ; when 

 they have done flowering, again shorten 

 the shoots and treat in other respects as 

 hitherto recommended. The plants will 

 last for several years if the soil is partially 

 renewed each spring when they are potted ; 

 and they are assisted through the active 

 season of growth with manure -water. 



Insects. — Posoquerias are liable to be 

 affected by most of the insects that attack 

 stove plants. These must be kept in check 

 by freely syringing with tepid water, 

 which will be sufticient to remove all 

 except mealy bug and scale ; should these 

 pests appear dip in or syringe with insecti- 

 cide. 



POTHOS. 



These are distinct-looking stove plants 

 that emit roots from the stem, and like 

 Ivy, attach them to anything they can lay 

 hold of. They are useful for covering 

 walls, and are easily grown. All that is 

 necessary is to take oft" pieces of the shoots 

 and place them singly in x>o\& — this may 



be done at any time of the year, but best 

 in spring ; tliey should be kept moderately 

 close and moist, until the roots lay hold of 

 the soil, after which grow on in a medium 

 stove hiiat until the shoots have made con- 

 siderable progress, when they may be 

 planted out in a bed or removed to large 

 pots. They are moderately strong growers, 

 and if confined to pots must not be pinched 

 for room. 



P. argyrcea. A well-known, free-grow- 

 ing kind, with handsome foliage. It comes 

 from the West Indies. 



P. argyrcea vuicrophylla. A distinct- 

 looking form of P. ai'gyreaja ; an equallj' 

 free vigorous grower. 



P. anrea. A distinct and handsome 

 species ; the leaves are a combination of 

 deep and light green, with large pale yel- 

 low blotches, it comes from the Solomon 

 Islands. 



P. flexuosa. A new species, -with habit 

 much like that of Marcgravia, the leaves 

 alternating from right to left, they are 

 about 6 inches in length, oblong-acuminate, 

 pale green in colour, and lay quite flat on 

 the surface to which the stems attach them- 

 selves. From India. 



Insects. — A good syringing daily through 

 the growing season will usually keep them 

 free from the attacks of the different kinds 

 of insects ; but, if this is not found suffi- 

 cient, sponging will be the safest remedy, 

 as the succulent character of the leaves is 

 such that they do not well bear the appli- 

 cation of insecticide. 



PRATIA. 



These are greenhouse herbaceous plants 

 of a somewhat interesting character. They 

 are of moderate growth, and flower freely 

 if growm in a good light house. They are 

 increased by division of the roots in spring 

 before growth begins ; if the poilions taken 

 off' the parent plants are large enough they 

 may at once be placed in good-sized pots, 

 tying the shoots as they advance to sticks 

 for support. 



P. hegonimfolia. Has blue flowers ; it 

 blooms in the summer, and comes from 

 Nepal. 



P. corymbosa. Flowers white, produced 

 in summer. From the Cape of Good Hope. 



P. littoralis. A summer bloomer, the 

 best of the genus. 



Insects.— Both aphides and red spider 

 are partial to these plants ; for the destruc- 

 tion of the former fumigate, and use the 

 syringe regularly in summer to keep down 

 the spider 



