GEEEN-HOUSE PLANTS. 



24 T 



the preceding. The individual flowers, however, 

 are much larger, and the limh is pure white. Winter 

 months. 



Macleania. — Handsome shrubs, nearly related 

 to Thibaudia and Vaccinium. They, like all the 

 allied plants, are extremely handsome when in 

 flower ; hut, as before remarked, rather difficult to 

 cultivate. For treatment see Geratostema. 



M. pulchra. — An evergreen plant, with large, alter- 

 nate, deep green leaves, which are tinged with rosy- 

 pmlv when young ; 

 flowers on axillary 

 racemes, long smd 

 tubular ; tubes angu- 

 lar ; orange-scaiiet, 

 tipped with yel- 

 lowish - green. May 

 and June. New 

 Grenada. 



M. speciosissima. — 

 A pendulous shrub, 

 with ovate leathery 

 leaves, which in the 

 young state are of a 

 beautiful port-wine 

 tint, changing to 

 deep green as they 

 acquire age ; flowers 

 tubular, drooping, 

 sharply angled, bril- 

 liant scarlet, tipped 

 "with yellow. Spring 

 months. Columbia. 



Magnolia. — This 

 genus of magiiificent 

 hardy trees contri- 

 butes one or two 



species towards the ornamentation of our green- 

 houses and conservatories. 



They thrive 'n a mixture of rich turfy loam and 

 good peat. 



M. Campbellii. — This grand species, after many 

 failures, was first introduced in a living state about 

 the year 1865. 



It is described as being a fine deciduous tree, at- 

 taining a height of 100 to 150 feet, and producing 

 its very large crimson and white flowers before the 

 leaves appear. Although asserted by some to be 

 hardy in this country, there is no doubt that it 

 will always require the shelter of the green-house or 

 winter garden. Native of the mountains of Sikkim. 



M. fuseata. — A dwarf-growing plant, with small 

 oblong leaves, which are bright green. The young 

 branches are clothed with a ferruginous tomentum ; 



the flowers are rather small, but deliciously fragrant. 

 Spring months. China. Now called Michelia fuseata. 



Mandevilla. — A genus belonging to the Apocy- 

 nete or Dogbanes, containing a single species only, 

 and this is a very handsome plant. When first in- 

 troduced it came to us under the name of the " ChiUan 

 Jasmine." 



The soil for its cultivation should be composed 

 of rough loam and peat in about equal parts. 



M. siiaveolens. — One of the finest of green-house 

 climbers when 

 planted out, hut no 

 amount of care or 

 attention has yet 

 proved of any avail 

 in the efforts to in- 

 duce it to grow and 

 fiower as a pot-plant ; 

 it should therefore be 

 planted in the border 

 and encouraged to 

 make a, good free 

 growth. In autumn 

 the long shoots may 

 be pruned back hard ; 

 treated in this man- 

 ner, about the month 

 of June the points of 

 the shoots will be 

 covered with their 

 large trumpet- 

 shaped, pure white, 

 and fragrant flowers. 

 Buenos Ayres. 



IiTrCT7LIA 6IUTISSIIU. 



Mesembryan- 

 thermim. — A large 

 family of succulent 

 plants, popularly Known as " Fig Marigolds " and 

 " Hottentot Figs," many of which are of gr«at 

 beauty. The majority of the species are natives of 

 the Cape of Good Hope, their natural habitats being 

 dry sandy plains and barren rockj' places, the thick 

 fleshy leaves enabling them to withstand unharmed 

 the severe drought which surrounds them. 



The generic name comes from two Greek words, 

 which signify " Mid-day Flower," as the blooms 

 always remain closed in the absence of sunshine. 

 One species, M. ciystallinum, is a rambling member 

 of the family, being a native of Greece and the 

 Canary Islands, as well as South Africa. Its leaves 

 are gathered in large quantities, and from them is 

 obtained an alkali much esteemed in the manufac- 

 ture of glass. It is known in English gardens by the 

 name of "Ice Plant," on account of the leaves being 



