344 '^^^^ Caladium and Calocasia. 



THE CALADIUM AND CALOCASIA. 



By Edward S. Rand, Jr., Boston, Mass. 



Among the most showy ornam-ents of our hot-houses, are the many 

 plain and vaiyegated leafed Caladia. 



Within the past few years great additions have been made, both in 

 species and varieties, to the former, by the d-iscovery by collectors of 

 the many showy species of the hot regions of the Amazon and Para, 

 and to the latter by the skill of the hybridist. 



A few years ago a score of kinds v^^as all that the best collection 

 could boast ; now very few care to cultivate all that are really worth 

 growing. 



In all the species the foliage is hastate, but varies greatly in size. 

 The green leaved kinds difler greatly in shade and in lustre, some being 

 very light and glaucous, others very dark. The markings of the vari- 

 egated kinds vary much, and naturally the plants divide themselves 

 into two classes — those with white and those with red or rose vari- 

 egation, and these again into the kinds in which the markings are dis- 

 ti"ibuted over the surface of the leaf in regular or irregular patches, 

 and those where the variegations follow the midrib or the leaf nerves, 

 either in narrow or broad bands. 



The root of all the species is a flat or irregular shaped rough tuber. 

 From this the shoots proceed, the leaves generally on long footstalks, 

 and are followed by the flowers, which are usually hidden^ by the 

 foliage. The flowers, however, have no beauty, and as they exhaust 

 the plant, they should be nipped ofl' as soon as they appear. 



The beauty of the plant is in the foliage, and often in the spotted leaf 

 stalks, and therefore the better the leaves are grown the more showy is 

 the plant. 



Most of the species are better for a few months rest ; indeed, some 

 will take it in spite of all cflbrts to keep them growing ; others, how- 

 ever, may be kept in growth by heat and plenty of water, but the foli- 

 age is never as fine as on those whicli have been duly rested. 



During growth they require plenty of water, — indeed, some species 

 may be grown in water, — a rich soil, and a good degree of heat. 



