0)1 the Culture of the Leschenaultia Foi^mbsa. 447 



Art. V. On the Culture of the Leschenaultia Formosa. By 

 Wm Saunders, Gardener to Wm. Bostwick, Esq., New Ha- 

 ven, Conn. 



This beautiful and delicate plant is a native of New Hol- 

 land, and, when seen in good order, a lovely object, being 

 densely covered with small, bright red flowers. It grows best 

 in a soil composed chiefly of turfy peat and sand, a good sub- 

 stitute for which is light turfy loam and good leaf mould, in 

 about equal quantities, with a few rubbly pebbles and nicely 

 broken pieces of charcoal ; the whole well mixed, and used in 

 as rough a state as possible to ensure proper circulation of 

 air and water. The pot must be well drained, and some of 

 the roughest of the soil placed on the top of the drainage. In 

 placing the plant in the pot, care must be taken not to bury 

 any part of the stem, as there is danger of its damping off" at 

 the base of the cutting, that is, immediately where the roots 

 emit from the stem ; this should be kept on a level with the 

 soil, which last should be filled up to within half an inch of 

 the rim of the pot. The soil must be pressed evenly and 

 firmly round the ball, so as to leave no vacancies ; give a co- 

 pious watering after shifting, and place in a warm shady situa- 

 tion for a week or two ; afterwards air must be admitted freely ; 

 but, at no time, should the plants be exposed to cold draughts. 



Spring, or the early part of summer, is the best time for 

 shifting, so as to allow the plant to make plenty of roots be- 

 fore winter. At all times, it must be watered with great care, 

 never watering until it is really in need of it, and then give 

 enough to saturate the soil properly. As autumn advances, the 

 waterings must be less frequent, so as to get it in as hardy a 

 state as possible before winter, merely giving enough to keep 

 it from flagging, otherwise it is very liable to damp and die by 

 piecemeal. Every shoot must be stopped when young. Good 

 handsome specimens can only be had by laying a good foun- 

 dation, and sacrificing the flowers for a season or two. In- 

 deed, when young, every flower ought to be picked ofl", in 

 order to get as much strength as possible into the young 

 wood. By introducing the plant into a warm place in spring, 

 such as a close pit or early vinery, it will start and grow vig- 

 orously. It generally keeps pretty free from insects; the 



