HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 325 



and treat as recommended above. For soil, use turfy loam and peat, equal 

 parts, with sand enough added to make porous ; a little pulverized charcoal 

 will benefit them. Use liberal drainage. 



The plant is a native of the Organ Mountains of Brazil, 3,000 feet above 

 the level of the sea, from whence it was sent to the Glasgow Botanic Garden, 

 in 1846-7. 



Lasiandra splendens. 



This is another fine Melastomaceous plant, better in habit than the pre- 

 ceding, finer in foliage, inferior in blossom, size, color, and duration. We 

 have a fine plant now bursting its flower buds, and is immensely full ; the 

 same plant having flowered bountifully last April, being twice in eight 

 months. It has been treated throughout as a warm green-house plant, and 

 out of doors from the first of June till the plants were housed. It is now 

 placed in the stove to open the flowers, after which it will be, most likely, 

 again wintered in the green-house. 



This affords another proof of the power the cultivator has over many 

 plants to alter the time of flowering. The opinion seems fast gaining ground 

 that many of what are termed stove or hot-house plants are benefited by a 

 perfect repose during winter. In this country it can only be successfully 

 done by wintering many of them in a green-house, owing doubtless to the 

 exciting temperature of ordinary stoves ; from the powerful effects of mid- 

 day sun even in winter, tends to keep such plants as the preceding always 

 in a state of activity. 



The whole family of Allamanda, after they become specimen plants, do 

 far better if wintered in the green-house for two or three months, than if 

 left in the stove the whole time, forming better plants and flowering freer. 



Edgar Sanders. 

 November 6th, 1854. 



THE PELARGONIUM. 



Of the many productions of the florist, none attract so much attention as 

 a well-grown Pelargonium. Good plants may be obtained by different treat- 

 ment from what I adopt ; but no directions can be given which will insure 

 equal success with practice and experience. Gardeners all know that ne- 

 glect is always followed by its consequences, shabby specimens and inferior 

 flowers ; and that whenever a plant loses its health, whatever may be sug- 

 gested or put in force may accomplish, it seldom atones for the abuse first 

 received. 



