72 STOVE PLANTS. 



Nidulariuiii, Tiilandsia, Pepinia, Puija, and Vriesia, which 

 consist of plants very similar in habit, appearance, and 

 general characters, all requiring the same treatment. We 

 have therefore considered it more convenient to treat of 

 them as one group. Their leaves are produced in a rosulate 

 manner, and many of them in consequence form beautiful 

 vase-like plants, are very suitable for table decoration. Their 

 beauty is generally of a very lasting character, for consisting, 

 as it does in many cases, partly of coloured bracts of firm 

 enduring texture, and partly of the varied colouring of the 

 leaves, they remain in full perfection for many months. Many 

 of the species are epiphytal, growing in their native countries 

 in the forks of the forest trees, and clothing the branches in 

 company with many other plants, such as ferns, orchids, and 

 aroids. Hence the smaller kinds will be found to succeed 

 best if fastened to a block of wood and suspended from the 

 roof, receiving the same treatment as an orchid in a similar 

 situation ; if grown in pots, light fibrous peat should be used 

 for these. 



The stronger growers, however, should be potted in a 

 compost consisting of a mixture of light loam, peat, sand, 

 and a little leaf mould. On account of their rosulate growth, 

 and the way in which the bases of the leaves overlap each 

 other, the centre of the plants is hollow, and capable of 

 holding water, and they are much benefited by having it 

 supplied to them in this way during the growing season. 

 These plants are of easy growth, and many of them are well 

 suited for planting in pockets in the walls of a fern house, 

 others for growing in baskets to be suspended ; indeed, they 

 may be made to occupy almost any place in a warm house. 

 They may be increased by dividing the suckers from the 

 parent stem, and also by seed, when this can be obtained. 



