Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 



335 



tion, such as the roots in their native 

 habitats revel in — fibrous matter like that 

 furnished by good Orchid peat, mixed with 

 spha,c'num, broken potsherds, or charcoal, 

 to which has been added a little sand. 

 Suckers in the state described should be 

 taken off in spring, or sufficiently early in 

 summer to admit of their getting esta- 

 blished before autumn. Strip off a few of 

 the small leaves at the base, and put them 

 in as Pine suckers are treated, in open 

 material such as described ; keep them 

 moderately moist and shaded, in a tem- 

 perature of 70°. They will soon root, but 

 they must not be confined in the manner 

 that ordinary cuttings are struck under 

 propagating glasses, or they will most 

 likely rot. Pots that will just hold the 

 suckers will be large enough for a time 

 until they have made a good quantity of 

 roots. Less pot-room suffices for these 

 Tillandsias than for most things, but when 

 the pots get fall of roots move tliem into 

 others larger, proportionate to the strength 

 of the plants and the size that the particular 

 species attains, using rough fibrous soil like 

 that already named. Little further is re- 

 quired than a routine course of treatment ; 

 keep them quite moist at the roots in the 

 growing season, and never dry, even in 

 winter, and give such shade and air as re- 

 quired for most stove plants. 



The spring and summer temperature 

 should be from 60° to 65° at night, with 

 10° or 15° higher by day, and air in the 

 daytime. In the winter, when at rest, a 

 night temperature of 60° will suffice, giving 

 a few degrees more warmth by day. The 

 plants last for many years provided they 

 are fairly treated, not being liable to die 

 off as some tilings do. There is great 

 difference in the size the various species 

 attain, consequently the root-space, when 

 the ]3lants are fully gro^vn, must be regu- 

 lated in accordance with the requirements 

 of each particular kind, but as they in- 

 crease by the production of suckers it is 

 better with most of the species to separate 

 them, as they look best when confined to 

 single crowns. 



The undermentioned are all very hand- 

 some : — 



T. (argentea) Gardnerii. A pretty species; 

 leaves densely silvered ; flowers small and 

 much crowded ; colour purple. Trinidad. 

 T. Balhisiana. A medium - growing 

 species with green leaves, coated with 

 whitish powder. Flowers violet purple; 

 bracts dark rose. West Indies. 



T. Lindenii. This is a charming plant of 

 small growth, with olive-green, lecurved 

 leaves, producing beautiful blue flowers 

 issuing from an erect scape with bright 



rosy bracts ; the combination of colours 

 has a charming effect. It is a native of 

 Ecuador. 



T. musaica. The leaves of this plant 

 are a foot long, they are banded across 

 with broad, irregidar bars of dark green 

 and greyish yellow alternating. It comes 

 from the United States of Colombia, and 

 is a very handsome plant. 



T. Roezlii. A strong-growing kind, leaves 

 green, with dark markings ; flowers rose 

 colour. Peru. 



T. splendens. A handsome compact 

 growing species that has green leaves 

 deeply banded with blackish brown. The 

 flowers, which are white, are produced 

 from a stout erect flattened stem, clothed 

 with pinkish red bracts. 



T. tessellata. Another very fine species 

 with bold leaves, glaucous green mottled 

 with yellowish green on the upper surface, 

 and A'eined with rose-purple on the under 

 side. 



T. (Wallisii) circinalis. Leaves heavily 

 covered with the silvery powder-like coat- 

 ing peculiar to Tillandsias. Flowers violet. 

 Uruguay. 



T. zehrina. A low-spreading species, the 

 leaves of which cling to the surface, and 

 are banded across with brown, ground 

 colour green. A native of South America. 



There are several other species in cultiva- 

 tion, but those described are the most dis- 

 tinct and handsome ; all the others will 

 succeed under the treatment detailed. 



Insects. — The hard nature of the leaves 

 render these plants little liable to the 

 attacks of insects. Scale, both the brown 

 and the white species, will live upon them, 

 but is easily removed by sponging. 



TODEA. 



A genus of filmy Ferns, several of which 

 stand at the head of this curious section. 

 They do not like much warmth, a green- 

 house temperature is quite enough for 

 them. They make beautiful loom plants 

 confined in a case large enough to admit of 

 the fronds attaining their full size. 



For propagation and cultivation, see 

 Ferns, general details of culture. 



T. Fraserii. New Holland. 



T. hymenophylloides. New Zealand. 



T. intermedia. New Zealand. 



T. superba. New Zealand. 



T. Wilkesiana. Fiji Islands. 



TORENIA. 



These are softwooded stove plants, pro- 

 cumbent in habit, and attain a medium 

 size. They are free and long continuous 



