P R I 



PRO 



visable to pinch off the smallest and weakest, 

 in order to render the blossoms of that which 

 remains larger and more vigorous. And when 

 the flowers (pips) become turgid and begin to ex- 

 pand, the plants should be selected from the 

 rest, removing them to a calm shady corner, 

 suspending small hand-glasses over them. 



In this culture the stages for the pots to stand 

 on whilst in bloom should have a northern 

 aspect, and should consist of four or five rows 

 of shelves, rising one above another, the roof 

 being covered with frames of glass ; the tallest 

 blowing plants being placed oebind, and the 

 shortest in front. The plants must be regu- 

 larly watered two or three times every week 

 during the blooming season. 



All these plants are highly ornamental ; the 

 former in beds and borders, and the latter sorts 

 anions curious potted flowering plants. 



PRINCE'S 1 KATHER. See Amaranth us. 



PRINCE'S WOOD. See Cordia and Ha- 



Ml.LIA. 



PRINOS, a genus containing plants of the 

 deciduous and evergreen shrubby sorts. 



It belongs to the class and order Hexantlria 

 Monogynia, and ranks in the natural order of 

 Du7>wsee. 



The characters are : that the calyx is a one- 

 leafed perianth, half-six-cleft, flat, very small, 

 permanent: the corolla one-petalled, wheel- 

 shaped: tube none: border six-parted, flat: 

 segments ovate: the stamina have six awl- 

 shaped filaments, erect, shorter than the corolla : 

 anthers oblong, blunt : the pistillum is an ovate 

 germ, ending in a style shorter than the stamens, 

 and an obtuse stigma : the pericarpium is a 

 roundish berry, six-celled, much larger than 

 the calyx : the seeds solitary, bonv, obtuse, con- 

 vex on one side, angular on the other. 



The species cultivated are : 1 . P. verlicillata, 

 Deciduous Winter Berry ; 2. P. glabra, Ever- 

 green Winter Berry. 



The first rises with a shrubby stalk to the 

 height of eight or ten feet, sending out many 

 branches from the sides the whole length : the 

 leaves are lanceolate, about three inches long, 

 and one inch broad in the middle, terminating 

 in an acute point, of a deep green, veined on 

 the under side, alternate on the branches upon 

 slender footstalks : tin: flowers come out from 

 the side of the branches, single or two or three 

 at each joint: the berries are the size of those 

 of Holly, turning purple when ripe. It flowers 

 in July. 



The second species has leaves alternate, peti- 

 ole d , oblong, of a firm texture, smooth, acute: 

 there arc commonly two serratures towards the 

 tip: the peduncles axillary, small, commonly 



three-flowered. It is of lower growth than the 

 preceding ; the- leaves are shorter and serrate at 

 their points only. It is a native of Canadj, 

 flowering in July and August. 



Culture. — In these plants it is effected by 

 seeds, sown soon after they are ripe, or early in 

 the spring, upon a bed of light earth, covering 

 them about half an inch with the same sort of 

 earth: but the seeds which are put into the 

 ground in the autumn will many of them come 

 up the following spring, while those which are 

 kept longer out of the ground, often remain a 

 whole year before the plants appear, as in Ilollv, 

 Hawthorn, and some others. The seeds may 

 be forwarded in their growth by means of a hot- 

 bed. \\ hen the plants have sufficient strength 

 they should be planted out, some in nursery- 

 rows and others in pots. They delight in a 

 moist soil and a shady situation. In hot land 

 they make little progress, and rarely produce 

 any fruit. 



They are ornamental, and afford variety in the 

 pleasure-grounds and among potted plants. 



PRIVET. See Ligustri'm. 



PRIVET, MOCK. See Phillvrea. 



PROTEA, a genus containing plants of the 

 ornamental shrubby exotic kind. 



It belongs to the class and order Tetrandr'm 

 ^lonogynia, and ranks in the natural order of 

 siLSzregatce. 



The characters are : that the calvx is a com- 

 mon perianth, usually imbricate : scales perma- 

 nent, various in form and proportion : perianth 

 proper none : the corolla universal uniform : 

 proper one, two or four pctalled, with the pe- 

 tals different in figure: the stamina have four 

 filaments, inserted into the petals below the 

 tip: anthers linear : the pistillum is a superior 

 germ, awl-shaped or roundish : stvle filiform : 

 stigma simple : there is no pericarpium: calyx 

 unchanged. 



The species cultivated are : 1 . P. conifcra, Cone- 

 bearing Protea ; 2. P. artrenlea, Silvery l'rotea. 



There are several other species that may be 

 cultivated for variety. 



The first has a stem erect, three feet high. 

 with branches in whorls and subdivided: ti.. 1 

 leaves terminated by a concave smooth gland : 

 the cone tomentose ovate, the size of a pea: 

 the branches are in whorls and again subdi\ 

 the leaves elliptic, the cone of flowers tonieii- 

 and the floral leaves concolour. 

 The second species has a strong upright stalk, 

 covered with a purplish bark, dividing into se- 

 veral branches which grow erect: the ll 

 broad, shining, silvery, making a fine ap] 

 anee, when the plant is intermixed with othei 

 exotics. It flowers in .' 



M r : 



