330 



Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 



THAilNOPTERIS. 



will induce them to break back. Tliis 

 stopping must not be delayed until later 

 iu the season, or it necessitates more of the 

 growth being removed, which is so much 

 loss, and does not allow time for that which 

 is made afterwards to get fully matured. 

 Continue to keep the centre of the plants 

 well open by training the .shoots out, as 

 advised after potting ; if this is not attended 

 to, theirden.se habitdoes not admit uf enough 

 light and air getting through them. About 

 the end of August discontinue the use of 

 both shade and the syringe, gi^-ing plenty 

 of ail- day and night. This and the drier 

 state of the atmosphere will discourage 

 further growth, and allow of the ripening 

 process being better completed before 

 winter ; during that season keep them as 

 recommended for the preceding %vinter.s, 

 where they will have all the light possible, 

 but a night temperature of about 40' will 

 answer now. Tie them out, using nicely 

 made thin sticks ; with weak- wooded things 

 of this description nothing looks worse 

 than thick clumsy sticks out of proportion 

 to the plant they are intended to support. 

 The natural free-flowering disposition will 

 be seen by their showing bloom at the base 

 of every leaf, for probably one-fourth the 

 length of the preceding summer's shoots, 

 from the points downwards. But it is not 

 advisable to allow them to ilower this year, 

 as it would considerably interfere with 

 thiiir growth. About the same time as 

 advised the preceding season cut the .shoots 

 back just at the point below where the 

 flowers are showing ; they will then break 

 into fresh growth, and must be potted in 

 April. This time they will bear a 4-uich 

 shift, using the soil in a more lumpj' state ; 

 treat as before in respect to air-giving, 

 moi.sture, and shading, and about the -same 

 time as last year pinch out the points of 

 the shoots, still keeping the centre of the 

 plants well open. As autumn approaches 

 again give more air, dispense with the use 

 of the syringe, and allow them the benefit 

 of the full sun. By this time, if all has 

 gone well, they will be good bushy plants, 

 and should be neatly tiained, not using 

 more sticks than needed for their sujiport. 

 The following spring they will tl(jwer 

 freely, and can, if required, be used for 

 conservatory decoration. As soon as they 

 have bloomed cut them back just below 

 the point where they have flowered, and 

 when they have broken into growth move 

 them into pots 3 or 4 inches larger : treat 

 in every way as advised for the preceding 

 seasons, except that this summer they 

 should not have their shoots stopped, but 

 be allowed to grow on until the approach 

 of autumn. By this means they will have 



more length, and produce a correspondingly 

 greater quantity of flowers the ensuing 

 spring, by which time they mU have 

 growTi into nice young specimens fit for 

 exhibition if required. If intended for 

 this purpose they must be kept cool all 

 through the autumn and winter, ha\T.ng 

 only enough warmth to prevent them from 

 being frozen ; if not so treated they will 

 come into flower earlier than wanted. 

 After blooming shorten back the shoots as 

 in the preceding spring. They will not 

 require potting this season, nor most likely 

 for a couple of years, during which treat 

 generally as heretofore. When again 

 moved, a 3-inch shift should keep them 

 going for several years, during which they 

 will be benefited by an application of clear 

 manure-water once a week in the growing 

 season. 



T. ericcefolia. Is dense in habit, making 

 a quantity of slender shoots, which grow to 

 a considerable length in the course of a 

 season. Although under cultivation not 

 usually so long-lived as some plants, it will 

 often last for a number of years in a healthy 

 condition until it gets as much as 5 feet in 

 diameter. There is, as has already been 

 alluded to, another form of the plant with 

 hirsute foliage, differing little in other 

 re.spects. From New Holland. 



T. verticillata. This plant is different in 

 habit and appearance from the above. It 

 is of remarkably elegant, slender growi;h, 

 the flowers, violet and red, are produced 

 from the young growth freely and almost 

 continuously during the spring and summer 

 months ; and combine well with its linear 

 leaves, borne in whorls ; even when out of 

 flower it has a veiy nice fresh look. It is 

 a much smaller grower, requiring propor- 

 tionately less root-room than T. ericsefolia. 

 Swan Eiver. 



Insects. — T. ericsefolia sometimes su2"ers 

 from mildew ; as soon as this jmra-site is 

 discovered the aftected plants must be 

 dusted with sulphur, which should be 

 allowed to remain on for a few days and 

 then be washed oft' with the syringe. Red 

 spider sometimes makes its appearance 

 upon them. When this pest is found it 

 should be exterminated at once by a tho- 

 rough syringing with weak insecticide, 

 laying the plants down so as to wet every 

 part. 



THAMNOPTERIS. 



A small genus of handsome greenhouse 

 Ferns, some of which have a noble appear- 

 ance. T. Nidus, the Bird's Nest Fern, is 

 one of the best and most distinct Ferns in 

 cultivation. 



