THE FLOWER GROWER'S GUIDE. 



EOWEES of specimens for exhibition fully appreciate the worth of Ixoras, but 



^ smaller plants are equally valuable for the decoration of hot-houses, and for 

 affording good supplies of choice cut flowers. The sickly condition in which these 

 plants are too often met with is unfortunate, and all who have insect-infested Ixoras, 

 with wretched foliage, are strongly advised to burn them and start afresh with clean, 

 vigorous young stock. 



There is quite a long list of species and varieties of garden origin available for 

 cultivation, and a few of the best will be briefly described. I. coccinea, East Indies, 

 has bright red flowers in large close heads, I. c. superba has deeper-coloured flowers and 

 is more robust in habit. I. Colei, produces large round corymbs of pure white flowers. 

 I. Duffi (syn. I. macrothyrsa) is one of the finest and very distinct. It is of strong 

 growth, with large deep-green leaves, and huge trusses of deep-red flowers. I. Fraseri 

 has rosy red trusses. I. Pilgrimi succeeds in a somewhat lower temperature than the 

 majority of Ixoras require ; flowers orange scarlet, shaded with crimson. I. Prince of 

 Orange gives fine cymes of cinnabar-red flowers. I. salicifolia, as its name implies, has 

 willow-like leaves, and deep orange flowers. I. Westi has pinkish, while I. Williamsi and 

 I. regina (Fig. 1) give fine heads of reddish salmon flowers (see Index for coloured 

 plate). 



Ixoras are propagated by cuttings of young, firm, short-jointed shoots in the spring. 

 Insert these singly and firmly in small pots of sandy peat, and plunge in a Hot-bed or 

 frame, with bottom heat of about 80°. If kept close and carefully shaded, roots soon 

 form, and after inuring the young plants to more light and air, top them, shifting into 

 larger pots a week later. The soil suitable for this and all later shifts is composed of 



VOL. I IT. p, 



IXORA. 



