May.~} HOT-HOUSE or REPOTTING, &c. 177 



beautiful white variety, forming an elegant contrast. If 

 sown in May, they will bloom from July until killed by 

 frost. (Soil No. 13.) 



Tradescdntia discolor. Purple-leaved spider wort. This 

 is an herbaceous plant, and is only cultivated for its beau- 

 tiful purple foliage. It has curious small white flowers. 

 (Soil No. 10.) 



Urania speciosa, a gigantic-looking plant closely con- 

 nected to Musa, from which it differs in habit by the large 

 leaves being more erect: to grow it luxuriantly, give it 

 plenty of heat, water, and pot room. (Soil No. 12.) 



Zdmia, a genus of plants in the natural order of Cyca- 

 dese. Several species of them are admired. Z. media, Z. 

 furfuracea, Z. tennis, Z. integrifolia, are the most showy 

 that belong to the hot-house. The whole genus is fre- 

 quently kept in this department. They are all plants of a 

 slow growth, and the beauty is entirely in the pinnated 

 fronds, with from ten to forty pairs of leaflets. The pots 

 must be well drained. (Soil No. 11.) 



Those genera of plants which we have enumerated under 

 the head of repotting in this or next month, are composed 

 of the finest hot-house plants that have come under our ob- 

 servation. There are perhaps a few of them that are not 

 to be found in the United States, or even on our continent ; 

 but the great object, in a choice collection of plants, is to 

 have the finest from all parts of the known world. There 

 are many plants whose nature does not require much sup- 

 port from soil, which is frequently observed in those that 

 are mentioned. And there are many hundreds of plants 

 desirable for beauty, ornament, and curiosity, which would 

 take volumes to specify and describe. In fact, every year 

 brings many new things, and frequently both new and 

 splendid, either in flower, fruit, or foliage. 



We have previously observed, that plants ought not to 

 be flooded with water when newly potted, as it saturates 

 the soil before the roots have taken hold of it ; and that the 

 best draining for pots is small gravel or pot-shreds broken 

 fine. We wish it to be understood that, when plants are 

 repotted, any irregular branch or shoot should be lopped 

 off that cannot be tied to advantage. And repotting may 

 take place either before or after the plants are exposed to 

 the open air, according to convenience. 



