TETKATHECA. 



Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 



329 



climber witli comparatively thin stems 

 that spring from a large, woody-looking 

 mass, as broad and in appearance like the 

 loot of an elei-hant, hence the name. 



Under cultivation the plant produces 

 little from which it may be increased ; 

 most, if not all, that exist in this country 

 are imported in a dormant state. 



It will thrive planted out, or in a mode- 

 rately large pot, well drained, in loam or 

 peat, to which a fair quantity of sand is 

 added. Keep the soil dry when at rest, 

 and water freely when growing. The 

 llowers are yellow, produced in summer. 



Insects. — It should be syringed freely 

 during the season of growth to keep down 

 insects. 



TETRATHECA (TREMANDRA). 



These pretty, free-flowering greenhouse 

 plants are natives of New Holland and 

 Van Dieman's Land, where they exist as 

 low-growing evergreen imder-shrubs. They 

 are quite distinct in tlieir flowers, leaves, 

 and general appearance from any other 

 greenhouse subjects in ordinary cultivation; 

 they are also widely diflerent in appearance 

 from each other in habit and duration of 

 flowering. Both the smooth and the woolly 

 leaved varieties of the Heath-leaved Tetra- 

 theca, T. ericsefolia, commence flowering in 

 the winter or early spring, and may be had 

 even up to the end of May, but to have 

 them so late as this they must be especially 

 prepared by retarding the opening of their 

 tirst blooms. Their innumeraljle pinkish- 

 lilac flowers, different in charactei' from 

 anything else, make them very desirable 

 for exhibition purposes, and equally so for 

 conservatory decoration, where they will 

 last long ; but when used for this latter 

 purpose they should be placed in a good 

 light situation, and not overcrowded among 

 other things that will prevent their re- 

 ceiving all round the light and air necessary 

 foi' their well-being. 



Tetrathecas strike freely from cuttings 

 made of the points of the young shoots in 

 a half-matured state ; these should, about 

 the beginning of August, be put an inch 

 apart in pots half filled Avitli a mixture of 

 sand and sifted peat, the remainder all 

 sand, placed under a bell-glass, kept moist 

 and shaded in moderate warmth. They 

 will root during the autumn, when remove 

 the glasses, and as soon as they begin to 

 grow jjinch out the points. It will be 

 better to defer potting until spring ; keep 

 them through the winter in a temperature 

 of about 48^, close to the glass, with just 

 enough water to keep the soil moist. To- 

 wards the beginning of April move singly 



into small pots in soil composed of fine 

 peat and sand ; they should be kept a little 

 close until growth commences, shaded when 

 the sun is bright, and stood on a moist 

 bottom. Give a moderate amount of air in 

 the middle of the day when the roots have 

 got fairly into motion, and treat generally 

 as with othei' hardwooded stock in a similar 

 stage. By the middle of July move them 

 into 3-inch pots, managing as before until 

 the middle of September, when leave ofl:" 

 shading and give more air. Winter in a 

 temperature of about 45°, and in April 

 move the young plants into 5 or 6 inch 

 pots, again stopping the shoots ; give less 

 air for a few weeks, with shade and a mode- 

 rately moist atmosphere. As soon as root 

 growth has commenced admit more air, 

 which will require to be increased this 

 season as the weather gets warmer, still 

 shading when it is very bright, and syring- 

 ing overhead at closing time in the after- 

 noons ; be careful to see that they do not 

 want for water at the roots, and keep the 

 material on which the pots stand moist 

 until the growing season is getting ad- 

 vanced, when give more air and Avinter in 

 a similar temperature to that adviseci for 

 the preceding. Towards the beginning of 

 March shorten the shoots back to about 

 half their length, they will then lie in a fit 

 condition for potting about the middle of 

 April. It is not advisable to shift them so 

 early as some things, as their roots do not 

 get into an active state so soon as those of 

 many plants of a similar character. If, 

 when turned out of their pots, they are 

 found to have plenty of roots, they will 

 bear a 3-inch shift. Good fibrous peat, not 

 broken too fine, with a moderate quantity 

 of sand added, is the most suitable material 

 to grow them in ; in potting lani the new 

 soil well down. Place the plants where 

 they can be a little close for two or three 

 weeks, and keep the material on which 

 they stand damp by syringing in the even- 

 ings, and also syringe them overhead. 

 Shade slightly in bright weather, and dis- 

 continue it as the sun declines in the after- 

 noons, otherwise the growth will be soft 

 and liable to the attacks of mildew. Train 

 the strongest shoots out horizontally, bring- 

 ing them well down to the rims of the pots. 

 When the roots have got hold of the new 

 soil give air freely, so as to induce stout 

 growth. They are free rooters, yet we 

 should not advise giving a second shift 

 during the summer, as they winter better 

 when the pots are filled with roots. 



If the plants have made their wonted 

 progress by the end of June the young 

 shoots will have extended consitlerably, and 

 should have their points nipped out, which 



