GREEN-HOUSE PLAXTS. 



245 



a small poition of light loam dusted amongst it ; 

 in potting, press the soil firmly down, for, like most 

 very fine-rooted plants, they cannot grow in loose 

 soU. In the matter of wateiing, follow the instruc- 

 tions given for the hard- wood Ericas. 



AU are natives of South Austi-alia. 



L. £axterii. — Flowers deep salmon-colour. June 

 and July. 



X. biloba major, sometimes called L. grandiflora'. — 

 X rather strong-growing species for the family, with 

 rich deep blue flowers. May and June. 



Z. formosa. — A dwarf and close-growing plant ; 

 flowers bright orange-scarlet. May and June. 



X. splendens. — A 

 somewhat robust 

 kind ; flowers bright 

 scarlet. June and 

 July. 



Ii e u c adendron. 



— A genus of Pro- 

 teaceous plants; all 

 natives of the Cape 

 of Grood Hope and 

 its neighbourhood ; 

 they require the 

 same treatment as 



L. argentemn. — AVe 

 give this species only. 

 It is a very beautiful 

 plant, though seldom 

 seen in our gardens ; 

 it is the Silver Tree 

 of the colonist, and 

 was called "WiUe- 

 bloom" by the early 

 Dutch settlers; it is, 

 however, becoming scarce in its habitats through 

 being cut down for firewood. 



The leaves of this plant are narrowly-lanceolate, 

 closely set upon the stems, both surfaces being 

 densely clothed with pure white, shiny, silky hairs ; 

 ■the flowers are yellow, borne on large terminal 

 globose heads. 



Xieucopogon. — A large genus belonging to the 

 Bpaeris family, which may be treated in a similar 

 manner. The name is derived from the white- 

 bearded flowers; they are very hardy, and are 

 valuable for cutting, as the flowers last a long time 

 in water, and are weU adapted for bouquet-making. 



Leucopogons are robust-growing plants, attaining 

 a height of from four to twelve feet in their native 

 country ; the leaves are mostly lanceolate, hsird, and 

 bright green ; the flowers of all the species are white, 



LapAOEBIA BOSEA *T.m 



produced on axillary racemes in great abundance. 

 The following are the most ornamental species : — 



L. aiisfialh. — "Winter months. South Australia. 



X. ericoides. — Spring months. New South Wales. 



X. Jimiperoides. — "Winter and spring. New South 

 "Wales. 



X. tanceolatm. — Winter and spring. New South 

 AVales. 



X. Michei. — ^Winter and spring. Tasmania. 



X. verticillatus. — "Winter to midsummer. New 

 South "Wales. 



Xiisiantlllis. — A smalT family of plants belong- 

 ing to the Gentian - 

 worts, consisting of 

 handsome flowering 

 under-shrnbs, which, 

 however, have always 

 been found extremely 

 di£Scult to cultivate ; 

 but whatever labom- 

 or care may be ex- 

 pended in order to 

 bring them to per- 

 fection is amply 

 repaid by their inde- 

 scribable beauty. 



Many of the spe- 

 cies are annuals only, 

 but X. Russellianus 

 (named in honour of 

 the Duk-c of Bedford) 

 is n, biennial ; it may 

 be perpetuated by 

 cuttings ; seedlings, 

 however, make the 

 best plants. 



This plant, though 

 included in the green-house division, in reality re- 

 quires a little more than green-house treatment, 

 yet cannot suffer to be confined in the stove; the 

 old-fashioned hot-bed, however, will suit it ad- 

 mirably during the time that it requires a little 

 bottom heat. 



X. Jttiisellianus attains a height of between two 

 and three feet; the leaves are opposite, ovate, 

 smooth, and glaucous-green ; flowers axUlary, with a 

 funnel-shaped tube, and five-parted spreading limb 

 of the most beautiful purplish-blue. 



The best season to sow the seed is some time in 

 the month of jlarch. The soil should be composed 

 of equal parts of light loam, leaf-mould, peat, 

 thoroughly decomposed manure, and sharp sand ; it 

 should be used in rather a rough condition in all 

 stages of the plant's growth. The seeds sown on this 

 soil should not be covered with mould, but have a 



