MAY.] HOT-HOUSE OF REPOTTING, &c. 247 



M. Sabmi has flowers similar, but not so dark in colour. 

 M. Northidna has splendid white and brown spotted 

 flowers, spathe two flowered. These plants when 

 growing require a liberal supply of water, and to be 

 greatly encouraged by frequent potting to flower well. 



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

 greatly esteemed in the East and West Indies for the 

 luscious sweet flavour of its fruit, which can be convert- 

 ed into every delicacy in the domestic cookery of the 

 country. M. paradisi&a is the true plantain tree, has a 

 soft herbaceous stalk, 15 or 20 feet high, with leaves 

 from 5 to 7 feet long, and about 2 feet wide. M. sapi- 

 entum 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. rosdcea, M. 

 coccinea, and M. chinensis, are most esteemed in arti- 

 ficial cultivation for their flowers, and being smaller in 

 growth. They all require a very liberal supply of wa- 

 ter when growing. They do best to be planted in the 

 soil, where there can be a small corner of the Hot- 

 house set apart for the purpose. They will be orna- 

 mental, but if kept in pots they will never attain any 

 degree of perfection. 



Nepenthes (Pitcher plant). There are two species 

 of this plant. N. distilhtoria is an esteemed and valu- 

 able plant in European collections. The leaves are 

 lanceolate and sessile; from their extremity there is a 

 spiral, attached to which are lublar inflated appendages 

 that are generally filled with water, which appears to 

 be confined within them by a lid, with which the ap- 



