50 GREENHOUSE FOLIAGE PLANTS. 



variegata. The most suitable soil to grow it well is a thin 

 loam and peat, with a good sprinkling of silver sand. It 

 should be trained on a pyramidal trellis with the leaves 

 freely exposed to the sun, so that the rich colour may be well 

 brought out. 



HYDEANGEA. 



Although this genus has many species and varieties with 

 splendid heads and panicles of bloom, it has only one variety 

 worthy of a place amongst exhibition foliage plants, viz., 

 H. liortensis japoniea variegata. The plant should be kept 

 moderately dry, and rested during winter; and, after being 

 started in the spring, it should be partially shaken out and 

 shifted into the same-sized pot, using rather poor loam, a 

 little leaf soil, and sand. It should be kept near to the glass 

 in l^e coolest part of the house, and supplied with plenty of 

 water during the time of growth. The flower-buds should 

 be pinched out as they appear, and the shoots regulated and 

 trained into position. 



LOMATIA. 



This is a genus of graceful-habited plants of considerable 

 beauty and value for exhibition. The best of the species are 

 L. elegantissima, L. ferruginea, and L. heteropliylla. They 

 thrive in a compost of light loam, peat, and silver sand, and 

 require an abundance of water while making growth, during 

 which a few doses of liquid manure greatly improves the 

 foliage. 



MUSA. 



The only species of this valuable genus of tropical plants 

 which may be cultivated in a greenhouse for exhibition speci- 

 mens are M. ensete and M. superba. These are two very 

 handsome foliage plants when they are well grown and 

 furnished with an ample head of their handsome leaves. They 

 require a strong rich loamy soil to grow in, with a little extra 

 heat and a copious supply of water when they are making 

 growth. Their large broad leaves, with stout bright crimson 

 mid -ribs, are very effective objects among the other denizens 

 of the greenhouse, and with a little careful management they 

 make grand specimen foliage plants. 



