CLIANTHUS PUNICEUS. l77 



CLIANTHUS PUNICEUS, 



GROWN AS A STANDARD. 

 BV FLORA. 



Thk Clianthus Puniceus is well worthy of a place in everj' collection, 

 both for its beautiful foliage and pendant racemes of red Howers, but, 

 grown as a standard, it far surpasses in beauty and elegance any plant 

 I have seen of its kind : I shall mention a few words regarding its 

 culture as a standard. Select cuttings from a plant about the begin- 

 nino- of May or June ; the cuttings should not exceed four inches in 

 length, and taken from the same year's growth ; recollect that the 

 extremity or point of the cuttings must not be pinched off. After 

 making the cuttings, allow them to remain for a day or two before 

 potting, to dry some of the superabundant moisture from them, whicii 

 is an "advantage gained by the cuttings rooting two days sooner. A 

 32-sized pot should be filled with white sand, and the cuttings inserted 

 therein to the depth of two or more inches ; they will strike readily in 

 a heat of 70^ or 75°; if they are covered with a bell-glass the 

 strike will be more successful. After struck, they should be potted 

 off separately, in thumbs or small sixties, amongst a compost of sand, 

 leaf, and loam, with a little well-decomposed cow- dung, all well incor- 

 porated together ; when potted, they should be placed in a bottom 

 heat till they have matured roots enough to support themselves. Then 

 they should be removed to a more airy situation, either to a greenhouse 

 or conservatory, and great care and attention must be paid to the 

 repotting and watering, or without, the plants will soon form a sickly, 

 stinted appearance. For to make good standards, all side-shoots must 

 be pinched off as soon as they appear, training tlie plant up with a 

 clear stem to the necessary height required ; then, after they have 

 attained the required height, the tops should be pinched off; and that 

 causes tliem to throw out laterals, and these laterals again stopped 

 makes tliem still to throw out the more, till at last the plants attain a 

 most luxuriant head, richly decorated with thick but dense pale green 

 foliao-e. When treated after the above method that I have laid down, 

 then'planted out in a conservatory, amongst good rich mould, one-half 

 fresh loam, one-quarter leaf mould, and one-quarter decomposed cow- 

 dun"-, along witii a little vegetable mould and sand ; all these to be 

 welf incorporated together, and a pit made for the reception of the 

 plants, tliree feet square, by two and a half deep, filling it up with the 

 above composts, then insert the plant, putting it about an inch deeper 

 than it was in the pot ; then there should be a stake of durable wood 

 procured to fasten it to. When plarfited out it grows more luxuriant 

 than in pots, and has always a more healthy appearance. When in 

 flower, what can surpass it ? the bunches of pale red flowers hangm^ 

 tlie one upon tlie other, out of a dense thicket, as it may be termed. I 

 trust tlie insertion of these remarks will tend to a more general growth 

 of this fine and highly ornamental plant. 



Vol. XV. No. 7.— iV.S. 



