ON STOVE PLANTS. 



N^GELiAS. — See Gesneras. 



Pancratium fragrans (Fig. 425) is a very 



handsome, sweet- 

 scented, white- 

 flowering bulb 

 from Tropica] 

 America. A 

 compost of 

 three parts turfy 

 loam, one part 

 fibrous peat, 

 and one part 

 rotten cow- 

 dung, with a 

 sprinkhng of 

 sharp sand, suits 

 this plant. In- 

 sert the bulbs 

 to about half 

 their depth. 

 Water freely 

 when growing, 

 but afterwards 

 give only just 



Fig. 425. — Pancratium fragrans. sufficient to 



keep the bulbs 



and foliage from shrivelling. Propagate by offsets. F. guia?iensis^ 

 from British Guiana, produces erect scapes with a cluster of 

 elegant white blossoms, the 

 rather narrow segments of 

 which . are drooping and 

 prettily curled. It succeeds 

 under the treatment described 

 for P. fragrans. 



Pentas carnea. — A pretty 

 Httle soft-wooded shrub from 

 Western Tropical Africa with 

 opposite, ovate - lanceolate 

 leaves, and pink flowers in 

 terminal tufts (Fig. 426). 

 Propagate from cuttings, and 

 as the young plants grow 

 pinch out the points to make 

 them branch, and then allow 

 them to grow away and flower. 

 Equal parts of peat, loam, 



and leaf-mould, with a httle sand, form a suitable compost. 

 P. kerinesina is a pretty variety with crimson flowers. 



2 u 



Fig. 426.— Pentas carnea. 



