274 HINTS ON THE CULTURE OF THE CAI.LA JETniOPICA. 



ARTICLE VII. 



HINTS ON THE CULTURE OF THE CALLA ^THIOPICA. 



BY T. W., WALTON NURSERY, LIVERPOOL. 



Perhaps the following hints on the culture of the Calla iEthiopica 

 may he interesting to the admirers of that interesting and, I am 

 sorry to say, too much neglected flower. 



It is generally known that the Calla (Richardi) iEthiopica thrives 

 hest when treated as an aquatic; and that, when planted on the 

 margins of ponds or other ornamental pieces of water, it is hardy 

 enough to endure the severity of our winters. Though it will not 

 bloom so finely, or flourish with the luxuriance, when treated in this 

 manner, as with the ordinary culture, however, the noble appearance 

 of the plant, mingled with the Nymphsea, Nuphar, &c, is peculiarly 

 striking and beautiful. 



But, as every flower-garden has not the appendage of a piece of 

 water, persons are induced to cultivate this beautiful flower in pans, 

 troughs, &c, with the plants growing in pots plunged or placed in 

 water. This mode of treatment shows too much art, and often has a 

 very slovenly appearance. To obviate this, I adopt the following 

 plan : — Having a large stock of fine plants, I removed the earth from 

 a large oval-formed clump, to the depth of eighteen inches below the 

 surface. I then had a water-tight vessel made of the same size and 

 depth of the bed, I gave this vessel a good coat of pitch, to prevent 

 its rotting. In the bottom of it I placed about six or eight inches of 

 fine gravel : this is placed principally in the middle, and brought 

 down to nothing at the sides. Its object is to raise the plants high 

 in the centre, should they chance to be of the same height. Having 

 placed the pots (which should be of one size) in a regular manner, 

 the tallest of course in the centre, I fill the vessel with water. Around 

 the edge of the vessel I drive round-headed nails, about three or four 

 inches asunder. From these nails I then stretch some fine pliable 

 wire, lengthways ; other pieces are stretched crossways ; so that the 

 whole resembles a net. With the plants growing through the 

 meshes, on this wire I place a quantity of clean fresh moss, working 

 it tight into the meshes of the wire, and close to the stems of the 

 plants, keeping it pretty high in the centre to preserve the convexity 



