132' General Notices-, 



placed an inch deeper than before, and for this reason : Like the nohle Japan; 

 lilies, it throws ont the greater part of its rootSj (i. e. its true roots, by which, 

 nourishment is obtained ; the' parts by wliich the Gesnera is propagated are- 

 strictly speaking stems,) if left to itself, iinnsediately at tlie surface of the 

 soil ; and if advantage is not taken: of such a peculiarity, all the resources 

 of the plant are not developed. 



The folloiving Avill be four^d a tolerably successful course of culture z 

 When it is thought desirable to start the dormant plants in spring, turni 

 them out of the pats they had previously occupied, and, selecting the most 

 promising " roots," plant four round tlie inside of a four or fi«^e-ineh pot^ 

 using a soil chiefly composed of leaf-mould and sand, and place them in a 

 gentle bottom heat, as a cucumber frame in which young plants are being 

 raised. As soon as the young plants are an inch high, or when they have- 

 two fully fwrned bases, give each a separate pot, say a fouT-inch, replace 

 them in the bed, and at the expiration of a day or two give them a good 

 watering. As soon as they are somewhat established, they must be re- 

 moved to another pit or frame, in which they can be supplied witli plenty of" 

 air to keep them robust, as one great beauty of the plants will be to enable 

 them to support themselves witliout the assistance of a stake. Immediately 

 sufficient roots are formed to enable you, repot them, Avitliout breaking the 

 ball ; put them in their blooming' pots ; — nine-inch pots are a very good size — 

 handsome plants may, liowever, be grown in eight-inch pots. The soil this 

 time should have an addition of ojie-third very fibrous loam, to give it con- 

 sistency, and to enable it to retain moisture, as they absorb much. The 

 plants win be much benefitted if kept in an airy pit or frame till their growth: 

 is nearly completed, and tlie pots filled witli roots, when they may be re- 

 moved to the stove, and supplied with liquid manure, while the flowers are 

 forming, and till they expand, when tlie plants may be removed to tlie draw- 

 ing-room or conservatory, to either of which they will form beautiful orna- 

 ments, remaining as they do for whole weeks, and almost months in perfec- 

 tion. 



It may not be generally known that there are two varieties of this plant> 

 and that one is very superior to tlie other in every respect. Had I not 

 grown tliem side by side for two seasons, I should have believed that treat- 

 ment must have had sometliing to do in the matter, but I am convinced that 

 it is otherwise. One of the varieties is of a more compact, more robust 

 habit than the other, and its foliage is much larger and more richly and 

 beautifully marked, and bears a raceme of larger flowers, which are set 

 closer upon their axis, and the whole appearance of tlie plant is much supe- 

 rior to the other. This plant is very liable to be infested with the mealy 

 bug ; they congregate in the flower-heads when forming, and if not removed, 

 will seriously detract from their ultimate beauty. The most desirable, and 

 at the same time, most effectual mode of getting rid of them, is to remove 

 them with a small brush. Never crush tliem on these plants — wherever you 

 do so the stem at those places assumes a black decayed appearance, and is 

 very unsightly to look upon. — {Gard. Chron., 1849, p. 780.) 



