GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY PLANTS 67 



to get them thoroughly moistened. Pot in 6-inch pots, if possible, 

 for the roots are large. If huge specimens are preferred, three clumps 

 should be placed in 8- or lo-inch pots. Place them deep in the pot. 

 Set the pots in the Violet house, or in some cool place where they 

 may root thoroughly. The cooler they can be forced the better 

 spikes of bloom are produced. It takes ten to fifteen weeks to get 

 the plants into bloom. The pink sorts, like Queen Alexandra, are 

 the slower ones. In February, when growth starts, the plants are 

 placed in a house in which a temperature of about 55 degrees is 

 maintained; those for Easter can be placed in a warmer house, while 

 those for later Spring flowering may be left in the cool house. Be- 

 cause of the great mass of roots which must be crammed into the 

 pots, little space is left for soil and consequently the plants will dry 

 out rapidly. They may require watering twice a day. When only 

 a few are grown saucers filled with water may be used beneath the 

 pots. The plants are susceptible to fumigation which causes the 

 tip of the leaves to turn brown if they are not thoroughly matured. 

 Propagation. Astilbes may be propagated by seeds or divi- 

 sion. The s6eds are sown in the Spring, using flats in the green- 

 house. They may be planted in the open ground when large enough 

 and will bloom the second year. By division the plants are readily 

 multiplied. Forced plants may be divided and set in the open 

 ground. The florist prefers to import his stock rather than propa- 

 gate it. 



ATTALEA. The Attaleas, especially A. Cohune and A. excelsa, 

 are noble cut-leaved Palms. They are very attractive even in the 

 comparatively small stage, and for large, roomy structures they 

 are very graceful. They should not be used for house decoration, 

 as they are rather costly and in a young state make slow growth. 

 When they are 20 or 30 years old, however, they are very ornamental 

 subjects for tall structures. The seeds are about 2 inches in length 

 and are now being put on the market as bowls for tobacco pipes, a 

 purpose for which they are splendidly adapted. . An acquaintance 

 has been using one of these bowls for about 15 years and the finest 

 meerschaum cannot begin to compare with it. (See also Palms.) 



AUCUBA (Gold Dust Tree). The many beautiful forms of 

 Aucubajaponica thrive splendidly out of doors in Washington, with 

 little or no attention beyond a layer of dead leaves on the surface 

 of the soil occasionally. This mulch may be continued with ad- 

 vantage even during the Summer months. Some of the larger leaved 

 varieties are beautifully variegated. The sexes are on separate 



