44 GREENHOUSE FLOWERING PLANTS. 



TETEATHECA. 



This is a favourite genus with exhibitors of hardwood green- 

 house plants, and furnishes some of the most attractive speci- 

 mens in that class. The best for exhibition are T. ericaefolia, 

 T. hirsuta, and T. veriicillata. Like all New Holland plants, 

 they thrive well in a mixture of fibry peat and silver sand, 

 with a free sprinkling of nodules of charcoal and sandstone. 

 They require to be well drained and firmly potted, and, like all 

 this class of fine-rooted plants, they must have an abundant 

 supply of water at the roots while growing, and careful atten- 

 tion to watering at all times, so that they never become dry, 

 which quickly proves fatal to them. The shoots should be care- 

 fully regulated, and neatly staked in bush form, " threading " 

 the majority of the finer stems, so that the specimen is not 

 overloaded with stakes, — a very unnecessary and objectionable 

 feature in all hard-wooded specimen plants. 



VALLOTA. 



V. purpurea, or Cape Lily, is an evergreen bulbous plant 

 from South Africi, which forms a fine flowering specimen for 

 autumn shows. When well flowered it has a brilliant appear- 

 ance, the rich scarlet flowers forming a fine contrast with the 

 deep green foliage. Select the best bulbs, and pot them before 

 the roots start in rough fibry loam, sharp sand, and dry well- 

 rotted manure. No water should be given till the roots are 

 started, after which they may be set in a cold frame, exposed 

 to the sun with plenty air, and be liberally fed as soon as 

 flower-scapes appear. If wanted in flower at a given time, 

 they can be pushed forward in a mild forcing heat. 



JUDGING. 

 The chief points in judging greenhouse flowering plants are 

 — (1.) Size and freshness of flowers and profusion of blooms; 

 (2.) richness, purity, and substance of petals; and (3.) size, 

 health, and vigour of the plant. 



