96 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



hall would be arrested by the stand of perpetual roses exhibited by 

 James Coraley, and he had no doubt that it was in the mind of 

 many gentlemen that they would cultivate perpetual roses. So 

 many of the contributors of flowers remained in the hall that it be- 

 came a question whether we should not be obliged to follow the 

 exhibition to the other room. He wished that Mr. Comley were 

 present • to give us some information concerning his method of 

 forcing roses, but as he wq,s not he called upon C. M. Atkinson to 

 tell us something about a plant of Thyrsacanthus rutilans exhibited 

 by him. 



Mr. Atkinson said this plant belonged to the order Acanthacece, 

 and was introduced from South America about twenty-five years 

 ago. It is a half shrubby plant, producing great numbers of bril- 

 liant crimson, tubular flowers, attached near the ends of long, slen- 

 der, branched, drooping flower stems, giving the plant a very grace- 

 ful appearance. It is propagated by cuttings, and is one of the 

 most easily cultivated of warm greenhouse plants. It requires a 

 temperature of about 50° at night, and plenty of water. He had 

 found it very useful for table decoration, the trusses of flowers 

 being so arranged as to droop from the cups of a branching flower 

 stand. The plant exhibited had been in flower for three weeks, 

 and would continue certainly a month longer. It was about 

 twelve months old and four feet high. 



Mr. Atkinson also exhibited a branch of Pluladelphas coroyiarius, 

 in flower, from a plant which he had brought into the greenhouse 

 to make cuttings from, desiring to increase his stock so as to plant 

 a hedge. It was brought in at about the same time with the 

 deutzias, and the plant, which was three feet high, was now 

 covered with flowers. He thought it would be valuable for forcing 

 as a flowering plant. 



Charles M. Hovey thought that it would require too much room 

 to force the Philadelphus; if, however, a gentleman had plenty of 

 space it would be desirable, but they could not be raised in the 

 low houses commonly built now for forcing. The weigelia and 

 similar shrubs, are also frequently forced, and are very beautiful. 

 It is considered by gardeners more of a feat to force some of these 

 things out of season than to grow tender plants in season. AH 

 these forced shrubs add variety, interest, and beauty to every 

 collection, but as a matter of profit, estimated by their money 

 value, there is little in it. This, however, should never be con- 

 nected with real art. 



