208 



Commercial Gardening 



and also by syringing the foliage. When in flower a lower temperature 

 about 65 F. by night is sufficient. Scale and Mealy Bug are the 

 worst enemies of the Stephanotis, but may be kept in check by syringing 

 with insecticides occasionally and by fumigation or vaporizing. In winter, 

 when the plants are dormant, it is sometimes necessary to untie the shoots 

 and cut out the older wood. The plants may then be thoroughly cleansed 

 if needed. One plant in the course of time will cover an enormous amount 

 of space, and in some places the tips of the shoots are nearly 100 ft. from 

 the main stem. The flowers which appear in early summer are bunched 

 up in half-dozens for market, and are still popular for wreaths, crosses, 

 wedding, and other bouquets. 



Streptoearpus. The beautiful garden forms (fig. 301) have arisen by 

 the crossing and intercrossing of such species as S. Dunni, S. Rexi, and 



S. parviflora, the two first hy- 

 brids being known as Kewensis 

 (8. Dunni x S. Rexi) and 

 Watsoni (S. Dunni x S. par- 

 viftora), in commemoration of 

 the Royal Gardens, Kew, where 

 they were raised by Mr. W. 

 Watson, the present curator, and 

 general editor of The Gardeners' 

 Assistant. Both these hybrids 

 were figured in The Gardeners' 



o 



Chronicle, August, 1887, pp. 

 214, 247. The original Kew 

 hybrids were taken in hand, 

 and have since been crossed 

 with other species like S. par- 

 viflorus, S. Fannini, and S. 

 Wendlandi. The flowers of 

 the garden forms display great 

 variation in colour, the indi- 

 vidual blooms being more or 



less drooping, tubular, and beautifully striped. By sowing seeds in 

 February and March on gritty soil, and in a temperature of 70 to 75 F., 

 plants can be obtained to flower by the following August, and continue 

 to bloom during the autumn and winter months. The treatment given 

 to Gloxinias will suit Streptocarpuses perfectly. The coloured Plate will 

 give an idea of the beauty of the flowers. 



StreptOSOlen Jamesoni. A climbing Colombian plant with large heads 

 of orange -scarlet flowers. Often used for bedding out in summer. It is 



O C5 



increased from cuttings and flourishes in loam. 



Strobilanthes. The best species is Dyerianus, remarkable in a young 

 state for the beautiful appearance of its large broadly lance-shaped leaves 

 which are washed with a mixture of crimson, steel blue, and purple. It 



Fig. 301. Streptoearpus 



