220 



THE FLOWER GROWER'S GUIDE. 



effected by division of the roots in March or April. Large plants thrive best in tubs, 

 and all should have a rich loamy soil. From April to October well-established plants 

 must have abundance of water, and ought not to be allowed to become very dry at the 

 roots during the rest of the year. 



physianthus. — Of this small family two species are recommended as being desir- 

 able additions to the list of climbing plants : P. albens, or White Bladder Flower 

 (Arauja albens), Brazil, flowers white slightly tinged with red, July ; and P. graveo- 

 lons, better known as Schubertia graveolens, Brazil, flowers stephanotis-like, only 

 larger and strongly scented, July. The first named will succeed well in a cool green- 

 house, but P. graveolens ought to be assigned warmer quarters. Seed sown in March, 

 in pots or pans of light sandy soil, and placed in a temperature of 05° to 70°, will 

 germinate freely, but propagation is more often effected by cuttings of short, sturdy 

 side-shoots, inserted in sandy peat soil, in a frame over a gentle hot-bed in the spring. 

 When well rooted place the young plants singly in 2^ -inch pots, and give them the benefit 

 of moist, gentle heat till they are well established. They must be early shifted into 

 well- drained G-inch pots, and from these again, when strong enough, into 8-inch or 

 9 -inch pots. A suitable soil mixture consists of equal parts of fibrous loam and peat, 

 with a little sharp sand ; for the larger sizes break up the loam and peat somewhat 

 coarsely, and in every case afford ample drainage, as the plants require abundance of 

 water when well rooted, and this must pass away freely. Training the young plants 

 round a few stakes will cause them to branch strongly. P. albens is usually trained up 

 greenhouse pillars, but P. graveolens may be flowered on a globular trellis for exhibition 

 purposes, similarly to Stephanotis floribunda. In addition to receiving abundance of 

 water, taking care, however, not to saturate the soil soon after re-potting has taken place, 

 the plants ought also to be syringed daily till they are in flower. After flowering apply 

 only enough water to keep the wood plump and fresh. Prune lightly in February or 

 March, and the strong resulting growths should flower freely in due course. 



pimelea. — Yet another family of hard-wooded greenhouse plants that have largely 

 been ousted out of general cultivation by a variety of more showy soft-wooded kinds. 

 The pimelias that will be named are deserving of a better fate. They are by; no means 

 difficult to grow and flower, and moderately large specimens present an attractive 

 appearance in May or June. P. ferruginea (syn. decussata and diosmsefolia) produces 

 flowers in dense heads, colour rose or red ; P. rosea (syn. Hendersoni) differs from 

 the preceding in the colour of its flowers only, which are pinkish white ; and P. specta- 



