48 STOVE AND GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 



process of rooting. Otherwise, the treatment may be similar to that of 

 the Gloxinia. The plants may he flowered all the year round, or given 

 a period of rest by partly withholding water. 



SPHCEROGYNE LATIFOLIA— This stove plant bears the distinction of 

 being one of the finest foliage plants in cultivation. Together with 

 Cyanophyllum magniflcum, another noble leaved plant, it belongs to 

 the same order as ourcommon Meadow Beauty (Rhexia). Both of these 

 plants look as if they would be very difficult to propagate, but, on the 

 contrary, they are exceedingly easy subjects, so easy that if the condi- 

 tions are all right, there is no excuse for losing a cutting. Mossing the 

 tops is a rather slow and unsatisfactory method, and, I think, single 

 eye cuttings can be just as rapidly grown into specimens as successfully 

 rooted tops. During January the plants are in less active growth than 

 at any other period, consequently this is the best season for putting in 

 the cuttings. Split the stems, making single eye cuttings; shorten back 

 the leaves to within about 2 inches of the leaf stalk, leave about 21/^ 

 inches of stem (less than this will root poorly); put firmly in sand of 

 warm propagating bed, taking care that the under part of the piece of 

 leaf lies flat on the sand; cover with glass. Hooting will be indicated 

 by the buds elongating. Pot in thumb pots and keep close for a time. 



STEPHANOTIS FLORIBUNDA— A great deal of roof space may be suc- 

 cessfully utilized in the growing of this plant, the flowers of which can 

 be profitably disposed of at all times. The plants may be put out in 

 benches in the greenhouse and trained up the rafters, but the bench must 

 be one which will not need repairing every now and then. The best 

 plan is to have a rather deep box of soil specially prepared. Fibrous 

 loam, enriched with manure; some charcoal and crushed bone will keep 

 the soil open. It is not necessary to have a high temperature in Winter, 

 as most of the growth will be made during the Summer months. Start 

 with cuttings, as they flower much more abundantly than plants grown 

 from seed. 



STEVI AS— Cuttings are struck in late Spring. Put in 2i/2-inch pots; 

 from these they are shifted into 4-inch pots. About the beginning of 

 August they are transferred into 6-inch pots. To prevent the plants get- 

 ting wiry constant pinching should be resorted to. Pot-grown plants 

 are ^jreferable to field-grown subjects for late flowering, as the plants in 

 pots can be stored in a place from which the frost is just kept out, so as 

 to fill space vacated by Chrysanthemums. Field-grown plants may get 

 their last pinching during September, and in the benches should be 

 planted quite close together. 



STREPTOCARPUS HYBRIDS— These have now attained such a high 

 degree of perfection that they should be included in every general collec- 

 tion of greenhouse decorative plants. They are better window flower- 

 ing plants than is generally supposed, not requiring a very high tempera- 

 ture at any time. Seed, to produce flowering plants in the Fall, should 

 be sown during March. As the seed is very small, extra care should be 

 taken in the sowing and subsequent treatment until theplants are large 

 enough. In connection with the germination there is a peculiarity not 



