170 HOT-HOUSE OF REPOTTING, ETC. \_My 



did white and brown-spotted flowers, spathe two-flowered. 

 These plants, when growing, require a liberal supply of 

 water, and should be greatly encouraged by frequent potting 

 to flower well. (Soil No. 12.) 



Melastoma was once an extensive genus, on which the 

 natural order Melastomacece is founded ; but is now much 

 divided into other genera contained in the natural tribe 

 31icomece.. There are about thirteen species remaining in 

 the genus. They now display great unity of character, and 

 many of them may be considered very ornamental. The 

 finest are 31. heteromdlla, bluish purple, and an abundant 

 bloomer; 31. malabbathrica, rose-coloured; M. sanguinea, 

 lilac ; 31. splendens, large violet ; and 31. aspera, rose. 

 There is a plant in several of our collections known as M. 

 purpurea and 31. tetragbna, which is Osscea purpurascens ; 

 leaves ovate, lanceolate, acuminate, five-nerved, pilose ; the 

 footstalk and nerves underside of the leaf covered with 

 brown hairs ; stem four-sided ; flowers purple. All the 

 species are easy of culture. M. nepaUnsis is a green-house 

 plant. (Soil No. 1.) 



Mandevilla Suaveolens, or Chili Jasmine: this beautiful 

 climber is a native of South America; the flowers are in 

 clusters and nearly bell-shaped, white, and of exquisite fra- 

 grance; the bloom is produced on the extremity of the 

 shoots. After the flowering season, the plants should be 

 pruned back to within a few eyes of the preceding year's 

 wood. (Soil No. 13.) 



Medinilla, a new family of tropical plants, magnificent for 

 the grandeur of their foliage and the profusion of pink 

 flowers, which they produce at nearly all seasons of the year. 

 M. crytlirophylla, 31. radicaus, 31. Speciosa and 31. Siebol- 

 (liana, are all easily cultivated. (Soil No. 12.) 



Musa (Plantain tree), contains eight species, and is greatlv 

 esteemed in the East and West Indies for the luscious sweet 

 flavour of its fruit, which can be converted into every delicacy 

 in the domestic cookery of the country. 31. paradislaca is the 

 true plantain tree, has a soft herbaceous stalk, fifteen or 

 twenty feet high, with leaves from five to seven feet long, and 

 about two feet wide. 31. sapientum is the true banana tree ; 

 habit and character same as the former, except it has a spotted 

 stem, and the male flowers are deciduous. The pulp of the 

 fruit is softer, and the taste more luscious. M. rosacea. 31 



