HOT-HOUSE OF REPOTTING, &C. 151 



on the principles of nature, and governed by her unerring 

 results. 



As many are desirous of having a knowledge of plants 

 before they order them, and likewise which are the finest 

 flowerers and their general character, especially those who 

 are at .a great distance, and seldom have the privilege of 

 seeing what is most desirable, our descriptions will be 

 limited, but still will convey some accurate idea of the arti- 

 cle described. 



Acacias. Several of these are desirable in the hot-house 

 for the grandeur of their foliage, beauty of flower, and a 

 few of them as specimens of valuable medicinal plants. A. 

 Houstoni, now" Annesleia Houstoni, is one of the most 

 magnificent of the Mimosa tribe, blooming from August to 

 November in large terminal spikes, of a crimson colour, 

 stamens very long and beautiful, leaves bipinnated in pairs. 

 A. grandiflora, likewise given to Annesleia, and similar to 

 the former in colour, has very large compound bipinnale 

 leaves, with from twenty to forty pairs. A. Catechu, flow- 

 ers yellow, wood spiny, leaves bipinnated, about ten pairs. 

 The inner wood of this tree is of a brown colour, from 

 which the Catechu used in medicine is prepared. It is 

 disputed whether A. vera or A. ardbica produces the gum 

 Arabic. We are inclined to think it is the latter, which 

 grows principally on the Atlas mountains. The gum 

 exudes spontaneously from the bark of the tree in a soft 

 half fluid state. There are many others of this genus be- 

 longing to the hot-house, but being shy in flowering, are 

 not generally esteemed. Most of the flowers have the 

 appearance of yellow balls of down, and are hermaphro- 

 dite. The pots should all be well drained. (Soil No. 1.)* 



JEschynanthus, about four species, among which JE. 

 grandiflorus and M. parasiticus are very deserving of cul- 

 ture ; they have thick fleshy foliage, are of slender growth, 

 producing orange-coloured tubular flowers in clusters, and 

 require treatment similar to the wax-plant. (Soil No. 2.) 



Ardisias, about eighteen species. Plants highly es- 

 teemed for the beauty of their foliage, flowers, and berries. 

 The most popular in our collections is A. crenulata. It 

 has rose-coloured star-like flowers, in terminal panicles, 



* These numbers refer to the table of soils at the end of the wo'rk. 



