346 



Greenhouse and Stove Plants 



ZEPHYRANTHES. 



several together in shallow pans or pots, 

 in sand, and stand in a moderate stove 

 heat, say 60' in the night, with a rise by 

 day ; keep the sand slightly moist, but 

 not covered with a propagating glass. If 

 the cuttings are put in during spring 

 before gro\vi;h begins, they will make 

 roots and push up shoots in the course of 

 the summer, when move them singly into 

 pots large enough to hold them, with a 

 moderate amount of peaty soil ; keep them 

 on during the ensuing winter and the 

 following summer in an intermediate tem- 

 peratui-e, by which means they will make 

 much more growth than in a greenhouse, 

 and time will be gained. Give more root- 

 room as required, but do not over-pot ; 

 give plenty of light and air in the daytime, 

 with water to the roots as needed. The 

 thick, fleshy root-furmation which many 

 of the species of Yucca produce, and which 

 ultimately emit leaves if taken oft' when 2 

 or 3 inches long, and treated as advised for 

 the stem cuttings, will make plants. 



If well attended to Yuccas will last in 

 good condition for many years, retaining 

 their leaves in a healthy condition down 

 to the base. 



The following are all handsome kinds : — 



Y. albo-spica. A pretty medium-sized 

 sort. A native of Mexico. 



Y. aloifolia. A green-leaved species, 

 from South America. 



Y. aloifolia variegata. A handsome 

 variegated form of the above. 



Y. concava. A handsome sort, with 

 stout habit of growth. 



F. Ve Smetiana. A distinct-looking, and 

 desirable kind, very scarce. 



Y. filamentosa. A species with elegantly 

 drooping leaves. North America. 



Y. filanientosa variegata. A variegated 

 and beautiful form of the last-named. 

 This kind, although it will grow in a 

 greenhouse, and in common with several 

 others, will live out-of-doors, does best in 

 stove heat altogether, attaining a much 

 larger size and a more elegant curve of the 

 leaves than when grown cool. 



Y. filifera. A distinct-looking species. 



Y. glauca. Has distinct glaucous leaves. 



Y. quadricolor. A beautiful variegated 

 kind, of moderate growth. Mexico. 



Y. quadricolor Stokesii. A handsome 

 form of the preceding. 



Insects. — Insects give little trouble on 

 these plants, but scale, both brown and 

 white, will live on them, and where pre- 

 sent must be removed by sponging. 



ZAMIA. 



Cycadaceous plants of noble appearance ; 



their leaves, Hke those of the rest of the 

 order, are of a hard whale-bone like 

 texture, and very enduring. They rank 

 among the handsomest fine-leaved plants 

 in cultivation. Their cultural require- 

 ments are the same as Cycas, which see. 



Z. crassifolia. A comparatively short- 

 leaved kind, that forms a compact head. 

 From Mexico. 



Z. eriolepis. A distinct-looking species, 

 with moderate-sized leaves, the pinnae 

 armed with spines. 



Z. Miquelii. Leaves erect and twisted, 

 bright green in colour ; it forms a short 

 thick stem. From Queensland. 



Z. Skinneri. This forms a stem of 

 moderate length ; the leaves are from one 

 and a half to three feet in length, not so 

 erect as those of many of the species. A 

 native of Panama. 



ZEPHYRANTHES. 



In these we have a fine genus of green- 

 house bulbous plants of small growth ; they 

 produce large, handsome flowers, and are 

 worthy of a place in every greenhouse. 



They are increased by offsets which 

 should be taken off early in spring before 

 they begin to grow. The bulbs are com- 

 paratively small, and to make the plants 

 effective eight or ten should be grown to- 

 gether ; consequently half a dozen of the 

 offsets may be put in a 4 or 5 inch pot, 

 drained and filled with good loam and peat 

 in equal proportions with a little sand. 

 Stand them in an ordinary greenhouse 

 temperature, giving plenty of light, with 

 air in the day, and water as required to 

 keep the soil moderately moist. Continue 

 to treat in this way through the summer 

 until the leaves are matured, when give 

 less water, but never let the soil get quite 

 dry. A shelf in a cool greenhouse will 

 suit them best through the winter ; in 

 spring give pots a size or two larger. In 

 potting make the soil quite solid, and 

 manage through the summer generally as 

 in the preceding. The plants will this 

 season make much more progress, produc- 

 ing larger leaves, and increasing propor- 

 tionately in size of bulbs. Winter as 

 before, and move into larger pots in spring, 

 but like most bulbs they must not be over- 

 potted. Some of the strongest will most 

 likely bloom during the spring, after which 

 grow them on as before, and continue to 

 treat as so far ad\-ised. 



In time the Vnilbs will increase so as to 

 require not only the offsets removed, but 

 also the larger flowering portion divided : 

 this must be done at the same season as 

 advised for starting the offsets, before any 



