Desmoncus 



( 290) 



Deutzia 



DESMONCUS. 



Stove Palms (prcl. Palraas) of slender, climbing 

 habit, suitable, in the case of the taller ones, for 

 training against pillars or tree stems. Propagation, 

 by imported seeds. Soil, fibrous loam and a third 

 of leaf mould or peat, with sand. 



Principal Species : 



americanus, 6'. minor. orthaeanthos, 6'. 



major. mitis. polyacanthos, 6'. 



DETARIUM. 



A small genus of stove shrubs or trees (ord. 

 Leguminosre). As the flowers have no petals their 

 beauty is dependent upon the stamens, as in 

 Acacia. Senegalense may be propagated by 



Other Cultural Points. All may be planted in 

 beds and shrubberies, in certain positions relative 

 to their height, but crenata and scabra, with the 

 fine varieties of the former, are most suitable for 

 this purpose. Gracilis makes a much dwarfer bush, 

 1J' to 2' high, and may be planted in beds by 

 itself, or as edgings to taller subjects. In the 

 more northern and colder parts of the British 

 Islands crenata and scabra should have the 

 shelter of a wall, the rest being relegated to the 

 greenhouse. Seeing that standards are so popular 

 for greenhouse and conservatory decoration, scabra 

 might be so trained that the main stem may 

 develop a head, the shoots of which should bo 

 shortened back annually so as to maintain the 



Photo: Cassell & Company t Lt 



DEUTZIA CKENATA (see p, 201). 



cuttings of half-mature wood in sand in a case. 

 Loam and peat in equal proportions, with sand, 

 will meet its requirements. 



DEUTZIA. 



Description. Highly ornamental, deciduous 

 shrubs {ord. Saxifragese), with white flowers ter- 

 minating the stems and short side shoots. 



Propagation. liy cuttings of short side shoots 

 taken off with a heel of the old wood in spring, 

 inserted in sand in pots, and plunged in the fibre 

 of a propagating case, or placed under a bell-glass. 

 Strong shoots may also be taken off in autumn, 

 firmly and deeply inserted in prepared soil in a 

 sheltered position, and left there for a year. 



Soil. Any friable, well-drained soil will answer 

 their requirements. For pot culture use good, 

 fibrous loam with a little leaf mould and sand. 



Desmidorclds (sec Bmtcerosia). 

 Desmotrichtim (see Dendrobiuni). 



symmetry of the whole. Old shoots should be cut 

 out occasionally to make room for young ones. 

 Gracilis grafted on stems of scabra might be grown 

 in the same way. For pot culture gracilis is the 

 most serviceable and important of all. For flowering 

 in small pots young plants should be frequently 

 raised from cuttings and grown to a useful size. 

 After flowering these may have the old shoots 

 thinned out, and the plants may be transferred to 

 the open ground in June to acquire fresh vigour. 

 When these get too large some growers divide the 

 pieces with a hatchet so as to get them into 

 smaller pots ; but neater and more vigorous plants 

 are obtained from cuttings as above stated. When 

 large specimens are desired they may simply be 

 shifted into larger pots as they require it till the 

 limits are reached. Large specimens may be 

 grown in the same pots for ten or twelve years, 

 without being shifted, by feeding with liquid and 

 artificial manures when making their growth. Good 

 substantial soil and efficient drainage should be 



