368 Notes and Gleanings. 



On Sarracenias and their Culture. — Although not having the gor- 

 geous colors which many of the more fashionable plants usually met with in the 

 stove or greenhouse possess, nevertheless there are few i:)lants in cultivation 

 more worthy of place than the sarracenias ; for unquestionably they are amongst 

 the most curious of Nature's vegetable productions, and, when well grown, pos- 

 sess a beauty of their own, which has the recommendation of lasting throughout 

 the year. 



Having been tolerably successful in growing them, I propose to give a few 

 hints on their general cultivation. As they are found indigenous in Florida and 

 the adjacent regions of temperate America, it is at once obvious that they do 

 not require, nor will they long exist in, that excessive heat, especially in the 

 winter, to which we often see them subjected. Through the months of Septem- 

 ber, October, November, December, and January, I find that a temperature by 

 night of 45° to 50°, and by day of 50° to 55°, suits them best. About the middle 

 of February, they show signs of growth ; then I jjot them, and increase the tem- 

 perature about 5° day and night. By the middle of April, I give them 5° more. 

 Through May, June, and July, I give them 65° at night ,with a rise of 10° by day. 

 Of course, in very hot weather, the temperature will run higher ; but they get 

 plenty of air day and night. They are kept near the glass, and a thin shade is 

 used in sunny weather. 



The mode of propagation is by division of the crowns with a sharp knife. 

 The compost I pot in is good fibrous peat, broken about the size of pigeons' 

 eggs ; to which are added one-sixth of chopped sphagnum and sufficient silver 

 sand, and crocks broken to the size of horse-beans, to keep the soil open. On 

 no account are the plants allowed to remain more than twelve months in the 

 same soil, however fresh it may appear ; for, if left a second season, the soil will 

 be certain to become sour, and then the roots rot as fast as they are made. When 

 repotting, shake them clean out. I do not approve of pans placed under the 

 pots ; and never syringe overhead, as it has a tendency to induce a softer growth 

 in the pitchers, which causes them to die off much sooner. During the growing 

 season, I water every day ; in winter, twice a week. 



1 should strongly advise those who may be commencing their cultivation to 

 procure thoroughly-established plants, as there is great uncertainty in imported 

 ones. Sometimes almost every plant in an importation will grow : but much 

 oftener the plants, after potting, commence growing, and go on the first season 

 without making any roots ; the leaves they produce being simply a last efibrt of 

 the plant working on the little vitality it has left. Such plants are almost certain 

 to go off in the winter : hence their scarcity. On one occasion, I received a 

 dozen plants, which all appeared to be going on right the first season ; but only 

 one of the number lived througli the winter : they had made no roots. The sorts 

 1 cultivate are these : — 



6". rubra, which is extremely rare, — the flowers scented, equal to Russian vio- 

 lets ; S. p2trpurea, and a variety much finer than usual in its veinings ; S.flava, 

 three varieties, quite distinct from each other ; 6". varjo/aris; S. Drtivimondii 

 rubra and Drtimmondii alba, the latter variety being very scarce. — T. Baines, 

 in Florist. 



