Culture of the Gesnerese. 569 



All the species under my care will grow from leaves taken 

 close off by the stem or root stock, I prefer, however, 

 shoots taken off at the secontl joint from the top, and put into 

 sand under bell or hand glasses, and placed upon a warm 

 flue, and shaded with thin white paper. 



As soon as these shoots have emitted roots, I pot them in 

 small pots, in a compost of heath monld, vegetable earth, and 

 perfectly rotten dang, in about equal parts, and unsifted. I 

 then place the plants in the shade for a few days, in a close 

 heat (the back of the tan-pits behind the pine plants will do) ; 

 and, as soon as they have filled the pots with roots, I shift 

 them into pots, 6 in. wide at top, securing such of the plants 

 as require it with sticks, and then plunge them, the dwarf 

 species at the front of the pine plants, the tall sorts at the 

 ends of the pits. 



These plants require, when in full growth, an abundant and 

 regular supply of water. I find great advantage in sprinkling 

 them every day, or, in very hot weather, even twice a day, 

 over the whole herb, either vvith the syringe or a fine rose 

 watering pan. This seems to be very beneficial to them, as 

 they thrive by this treatment in an imcommon manner. 



The Gloxinm maculala requires a rather different treat- 

 ment ; and, as this is a most magnificent species, it is well 

 worth a little extra-trouble. When the plants have done 

 flowering, which is with me about August, I remove the pots 

 into a cool room, and refrain from watering until the tops 

 die. I then cut off the tops, and in December shake out the 

 roots from the soil, and put every strong root into a pot 6 in. 

 in diameter, and place them in the warmest forcing-house 

 I have, giving but little water until the plants make their 

 appearance, and gradually increasing the water as they 

 advance in growth. By this method I scarcely ever fail of 

 flowering this species in a satisfactory manner. As to 

 the other species of Gesner£'<2?, as soon as they have done 

 flowering I gradually decrease the water given to them, until 

 the soil in the pots becomes quite dry. I then treat them 

 similarly to Gloxinm maculata, except that I do not set 

 them grov/ing so early, usually not till about the beginning 

 of February ; and afterwards they are managed exactly 

 as prescribed for the cuttings above, except oiily that 

 they are put into the full-sized pots at first. 



The following is a list of the species we have here : — 

 Gesner/a bulbosa*, rutila, and Douglas//; Gloxinia maculata, 



* Messrs. Loddiges, in their Bulanical Cabinet for September, figure, at 

 No. 1724-, Gesnerirt bulbosa, and thus remark on it : — " We understand that 

 the roots, which are tuberous and large, are used as food at Rio Janeiro. 



