SWAINSONA. 



Greenhouse and Stove Plants 



323 



attained a considerable size they can be 

 divided from the parent plant — during the 

 spring or summer, so as to get established 

 before winter— and put in separate pots, 

 drained and filled with good fibrous loam 

 with which some sand has been mixed. The 

 pots used should be such as will suffice to 

 hold the considerable quantity of roots 

 which the suckers ought to have l)efore 

 their removal from the plants that have 

 jjrodueed them. Pot firmly, and stand them 

 where they will get some warmth that will 

 assist their making new roots ; the thick 

 leathery texture of the leaves is such that 

 no shade is required, not even when the 

 sun is most powerful. All that is needed 

 to grow them well is to give sufficient air, 

 with water as they want it, and enough 

 pot-room proportionate to the size of the 

 plants, for they may be either kept to 

 single crowns or allowed to remain entire 

 until a number are formed, but for most 

 purposes medium-sized examples, such as 

 those composed of three or four crowns 

 each, will be found the most desirable. 

 Large specimens can be divided into por- 

 tions varying in size to meet the require- 

 ments of the cultivator, all that is necessary 

 being that when the division is effected the 

 several pieces should, as soon as potted, be 

 placed where there is warmth enough to set 

 them growing immediately, otherwise the 

 roots they already possess are liable to rot. 

 Insects. — The natural consistency of the 

 plants, stems, and leaves combined, is such 

 as to offer little attraction to insects, though 

 aphides often establish themselves on the 

 young leaves ; they can be easily removed 

 by sponging or fumigation ; if affected 

 with scale sponging is tiie best remedy. 



STREPTOCARPUS. 



Herbaceous perennial Gesnerads that 

 thrive under cool stove treatment. The 

 best known is S. Rexii, often grown under 

 the name of Didymocarpus Rexii. They 

 bloom over a lengthened period through 

 the summer and autumn. Few plants are 

 so easily managed ; they can be raised from 

 seed so^vn in the spring in moderate heat, 

 potted and grown through the season under 

 the usual conditions of air and root mois- 

 ture, with plenty of li.dit and a little shade 

 in sunny weather. They do well in tiu'fy 

 loam with a little leaf-mould and sand 

 added ; plants such as can be grown in 

 6 or 8 inch pots vnW usually be found 

 more useful than larger examples. They 

 can also be increased by division of the 

 cro%vns, which should be effected in spring 

 just as growth is about to commence ; treat 

 them afterwards like the seedlings. 



S. polyanthus. A pretty blue-flowered 

 kind that blooms in the summer. A native 

 of Xatal. 



S. Rexii. An abundant bloomer, the 

 flowers are slate-blue in colour. It comes 

 from the Cape of Good Hope. 



iS. Saundersii. A singular-habited species, 

 with pale purple flowers produced freely. 

 A sunmier bloomer. From Xatal. 



Insects. — Aphides are often trouble- 

 some on these plants, getting to the imder- 

 sides of the leaves and on the flowers ; 

 fumigating is the best means for their de- 

 struction, 



STTPHELIA. 



Low - growing evergreen shrubs that 

 bloom in summer ; not equal to many of 

 similar character. They are not much 

 cultivated at tlie present time. 



They Avill thrive under treatment such 

 as advised for Epacris, whicli see. 



The undermentioned are the most desir- 

 able : — 



S. epacrioides. Has crimson flowers, pro- 

 duced in summer. From New Holland. 



S. latifolia. Flowers pink, blooms early 

 in summer. From New Holland. 



S. tubijiora. Flowers scarlet, blooms in 

 summer. A native of New South Wales. 



SWAINSONA. 



These handsome flowering evergreen 

 greenhouse plants are natives of New 

 South Wales, and are deserving of general 

 cidtivation ; they bloom freely from July 

 to September, coming in at a season when 

 flowering subjects are not over-ijlentilul. 

 They are of somewhat straggling habit, 

 very distinct from most others that require 

 similar treatment as to soil and tempera- 

 ture ; they continue for many weeks to 

 open a succession of flowers, produced in 

 bunches from the current season's wood. 

 This continuous blooming habit renders 

 these Swainsonas especially useful for con- 

 servatory decoration, although those who 

 want flowering plants for exliibition during 

 the latter part of summer will find them 

 of service. They are free growers, and 

 will succeed well in a mixture of peat and 

 loam, in equal proportions ; or, if peat can- 

 not be had of good quality, they will grow 

 in loam, particularly if it contains plenty 

 of fibre, so as to maintain it in a healthy 

 state for some years ; this is always an im- 

 portant condition, that cannot be too often 

 impressed upon those who have not had 

 much experience in the cultivation of 

 things of this kind. It frequently happens 

 that a certain soil, either peat or loam, will 



