March.} GREEN-HOUSE REPOTTING. 251 



protected by an involucrum, many-leaved and imbricated ; 

 which is very persistent. P. cynaroides has the largest 

 flower, which is purple, green, and red. P. speciosa, P. um- 

 oondlis, once P. longifblia, P. melaleuca, P. grandijlbra, P. 

 coccinea, P. cenocdrpa, P. pallens* P.foimbsa, P. magnified, 

 P. speciosa rubra, and P. mettifera, will afford a very good 

 variety. It is almost impossible to describe their true colour, 

 it being so various; red, white, straw, brown, green, and pur- 

 ple, are most predominant, and frequently to be seen in the 

 same flower. The plants must be well drained; and during 

 warm weather be careful that they are not neglected in water, 

 for if they are suffered to droop, they seldom recover. For 

 this reason the pots ought not to stand in the strong sun ; 

 the plants can bear it, but to the roots it is injurious. (Soil 

 No. 9.) 



Puttnceas, about forty species, pretty little dwarf-growing 

 shrubs of New South Wales; flowers, small, leguminose, all 

 yellow with a little red outside of the petals. P. subumbet- 

 Idta, P. villosa, P. obcorddta, P. argentea, P. plumbsa, P 

 flexilis, shining-leaved, fragrant ; P. Candida, and P. stricta, 

 are all fine species, and esteemed in collections. The leaves 

 are all small ; they require an airy exposure, and the pots 

 drained. (Soil No. 6.) 



Rhodocnlton volubile, or Lophorspermum rkodochitoji : this 

 is a very fine climbing plant, with large tubular dark brown 

 flowers, blooming from July to October; it is of rapid growth, 

 and is an excellent plant for the flower-garden. The plant 

 must have frequent repotting to make it grow rapidly, for the 

 finer it grows the more profusely it flowers. (Soil No. 12.) 



Rhododendrons (Rose tree), a magnificent genus, and con- 

 tains some of the most superb and gigantic plants that adorn 

 the green-house. At present the most admired is R. arbbreum, 

 with its varieties. It has deep crimson flowers, with dark 

 spots and flakes campanulated, and in large clusters; leaves 

 lanceolate, acute, rough and silvery beneath. R. arbbreum 

 album is very rare. R. arbbreum superbum, flowers same 

 shape as arbbreum, colour bright rosy scarlet; foliage one- 

 third larger, but not silvery beneath ; grows freely, and gene- 

 rally thought the finest variety. R. arbbrea alta- Clarence is 

 also very superb. R. arbbrea Russelidnum, pictum, venustum, 

 yuttdtum, tigrinwn, -noblednum, grandiflbrum, spectdbile, are 

 all very distinct ; but there are SO many other varieties from 



