12 STOVE FLO WEEING PLANTS. 



POIXSETTIA. 



This is one of the most striking and attractive winter deco- 

 rative plants we possess. The typical variety V. pv.ldie.rriw.a 

 and the white variety P. pulclierrima alba are both very 

 sho^vy plants, but the former is the most suitable for exhibi- 

 tion. A two-year-old plant, if the wood is well matured, makes 

 a good foundation for an exhibition specimen. The plants 

 •should be pruned to within two eyes of the old wood, and 

 although they grow fairly well in a cold frame during the 

 summer months, they are all the better of a little artificial 

 warmth, especially during the night. When the buds are 

 started, the old soil should be shaken away from the roots, 

 and the plants potted amongst sandy loam and leaf-soil. 

 They should be syringed twice a day, and very little water 

 given at the roots until growth has fairly commenced. 

 They should be kept near the glass, and plenty of light and 

 air given, for the formation of strong, firm, short-jointed 

 wood. From ten to twelve strong shoots are sufiicient to 

 form a fine specimen. Flowering may be forwarded or re- 

 tarded by the time the plants are introduced to stove heat, 

 three to four weeks only being necessary for the full develop- 

 ment of the bracts after the plants are full grown. 



ROXDELETIA. 



The Rondeletias aie hard-wooded evergreen shrubs from the 

 West Indies, producing freely theii' bright little trusses of 

 flowers Among the best are /)'. cordata and E. speciosa major. 

 The roots are small and fibry, and are liable to be injured by 

 injudicious watering ; but when the plants are grown into 

 well-flowered specimens, they are very effective at the autumn 

 shows when stove flowering plants are scarce. On account of 

 their straggling habit they require to be neatly trained into 

 shape for exhibition ; and in whatever form they are trained, 

 the shoots should be fully exposed during the growing season, 

 that they may be short-jointed and well matured. After 

 flowering, the shoots should be cut back to within three joints 

 of the previous year's growth. When they are starting to 

 ifiow is the best time to re-pot, using a mixture of I'ough 



