850 



Gardening for Amateurs 



summer but kept drier in winter. Increased 

 by division in spring. 



Hibiscus. One sort, namely, H. rosa- 

 sinensis, is a familiar plant throughout the 

 tropics, and some of the many varieties 

 now in cultivation make a fine show in the 

 stove during the summer months. It is 

 easily grown, and will bloom with the greatest 

 freedom if well exposed to the sun. Cuttings 

 strike as readily as those of a Fuchsia. Some 

 of the best are : brilliantissimus, crimson ; 

 Called, buff yellow ; Cooperi, leaves varie- 

 gated green, white and red ; flore pleno, 

 double rose ; and splendens, rosy-red. The 

 orange-red H. schizopetalus, with curiously 

 slashed petals, is also very desirable. These 

 Hibiscuses may be grown as bushes or 

 trained up the end of the hothouse. 



Hoya. (See " Climbing Plants for the 

 Hothouse.") 



Hymenocallis macrostephana. This 

 bulbous plant is nearly related to the 

 Eucharis, but the leaves are more strap- 

 shaped, and the starry flowers are composed 

 of long narrow segments. They are borne 

 several together in a large head or umbel 

 and are deliciously fragrant. The cultural 

 directions for Eucharis apply also to Hy- 

 menocallis. 



Ipomaea. (See " Climbing Plants for the 

 Hothouse.") 



Ixora. The Ixoras are among the showi- 

 est of all hothouse flowering plants. They 

 are evergreen shrubs, and the flowers, not 

 unlike those of a Bouvardia in shape, are 

 borne in compact rounded heads from 

 spring until autumn. They like frequent 

 syringeing during the spring and summer 

 months. The soil best suited for Ixoras is 

 two-thirds peat to one-third loam, and a 

 good sprinkling of silver sand. Cuttings 

 may be struck in warmth in spring, and 

 when repotting is needed it should be done 

 towards the end of February or in March. 

 A good selection is as follows : Ixora 

 acuminata, white ; coccinea, bright orange ; 

 coccinea luteus, yellow ; Fraseri, salmon- 

 red ; Prince of Orange, rich orange ; macro - 

 thyrsa, or Duffii, deep crimson ; Pilgrimi, 

 orange - scarlet, suffused crimson ; Westii, 

 bright rose : and Williamsii, reddish-salmon. 

 Mealy bug sometimes gives trouble, but this 

 may be destroyed by methylated spirit. 



Jasminum. (See " Climbing Plants for 

 the Hothouse.") 



Maranta. Plants remarkable for their 

 handsome foliage, the flowers being of little 

 account. In a state of nature they grow in 

 the vegetable debris collected beneath trees, 

 hence they require a light open compost 

 and plenty of shade. A suitable material for 

 potting may be formed of equal parts of 

 loam, leaf-mould, peat, sand, and sphagnum 

 moss. This will ensure ample drainage, for 

 all the Marantas need a liberal amount of 

 water in the growing season. When re- 

 potting or division is needed it should 

 be done in spring. Good distinct kinds 

 are : argentea, silvery-grey ; hieroglyphica, 

 green and silvery- white, curiously arranged ; 

 illustris, bright green, marked deeper green 

 and blotched white ; illustris rosea picta, 

 like the preceding, but striped rose ; insignis, 

 long, broad strap - shaped wavy leaves, 

 marked with various shades of green and 

 purple beneath ; kerchoveana, greyish- green, 

 chocolate blotches ; massangeana, greyish- 

 green, edged olive green, with blotches of 

 purplish- maroon ; sangoriana, olive green, 

 with pink lines from midrib to margin ; and 

 zebrina, velvety green, barred purple. 



Medinilla magnifica. An evergreen 

 shrub with large pendulous clusters of deep 

 pink blossoms. It flowers during the summer 

 months, and when in good condition forms 

 a gorgeous feature. It is propagated by 

 cuttings of the young shoots taken in spring 

 as soon as they have lost their succulent 

 character. When rooted they should be 

 potted firmly in small well-drained pots of 

 light sandy soil and plunged in bottom heat 

 in a closed propagating case. After a week 

 or so they must be inured to the ordinary 

 atmosphere of the hothouse, and be shifted 

 into a mixture of loam, peat and sand. 

 The plants need ordinary hothouse treat, 

 ment, with a liberal supply of water during 

 the summer months, but less will be required 

 in winter. When growing freely an occa- 

 sional dose of liquid manure will be found 

 beneficial. This Medinilla will flower in a 

 small state, but as a large specimen it is 

 seen at its very best. 



Nepenthes (Pitcher Plant). One of 

 the strangest classes of plants in the whole 

 of the vegetable kingdom. The midrib of 



