478 



THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



Whilst they show little variation in flower and 

 leaf, there is considerable range of variation in 

 the pitchers, some being small and thimble-like, 

 whilst others are large enough to hold a quart 

 of water. They vary also in form, and in colour 

 they range from green to brown-red and crimson, 

 many of them being mottled. When healthy, 

 they keep fresh on the plants for about a 

 year. 



A moist tropical house is necessary for all 



or nearly all the cultivated sorts, the exception 

 being N. Rajah, which thrives at Glasnevin in 

 a cool house. They require shade from bright 

 sunshine and plenty of water at the root at all 

 times, daily watering being not too much for 

 them. They prefer a mixture of peat-fibre and 

 sphagnum, such as is used for epiphytic Orchids, 

 and this should be renewed every spring. The 

 roots, which are thin, brittle, and black, require 

 careful handling; washing the soil away from 



Fig 586.— Nepenthes TiveyL 



them being preferable to shaking them. They 

 are better in teak-baskets than pots. When 

 growing vigorously a weekly watering with 

 cow-manure water is helpful. If large pitchers 

 are desired, the tops of the shoots should be 

 taken off above from four to six good leaves on 



which pitchers are 



showing. 



Le ggy P lants 



should be cut down to the base in January, and 

 when new growth shows they should be care- 

 fully transferred into fresh soil, first removing 

 the old as already advised. When the pitchers 

 open they contain a quantity of liquid which 

 should not be turned out to gratify curiosity. 

 Should the liquid evaporate, water must be 

 substituted or the pitcher will shrivel. Cut- 

 tings of healthy shoots root if planted in sandy 

 sphagnum and placed in a close propagating- 

 frame. 



Their seeds germinate freely in about six 

 weeks if sown on a pan of chopped peat-fibre 

 and covered with a pane of glass. Pitchers are 

 developed on the tiny seed-leaves. With good 

 treatment, plants twelve months old should 



have leaves four inches and pitchers an inch 

 long. If allowed to grow unstopped some 

 of the species develop stems 20 to 30 feet 

 long. The pitchers produced on long stems are 

 smaller, narrower at the base, usually wingless, 

 and less highly coloured than those on short 

 stems. 



Thrips soon injure Nepenthes if once they 

 obtain a footing on the leaves. Frequent fumi- 

 gation with tobacco or "XL- All" will destroy 

 them. Nepenthes are really easily managed if 

 afforded abundance of moisture and an open 

 fibrous sweet condition at the root. 



The best of the species in cultivation are: — 



X. ampullaria. Free grower, short green pitchers, 

 small lid. 



N. Burled. Long, wingless, narrow pitchers, green, 

 with large red-brown blotches. 



N. Burkei, var. excellens. Pitchers larger and richer 

 in colour, very handsome. 



N. cincta (fig. 585). Stem stout, pitchers 8 inches long, 

 green, flushed red, blotched purple. 



N. Curtisii (fig. 585). Pitchers 8 inches long, green, 

 red-brown blotches, elegant lid, broad rim. 



