M USA — MUSS/ENDA — NEPENTHES- 9 



pine-apple. It succeeds best planted on a mound or rock-work, or where the growths 

 can ramble, or against moist back walls of plant stoves, to which the stems attach 

 themselves by their aerial roots. Plants are easily raised from cuttings of the stems, 

 and may be grown in pots if desirable. Plant or pot in equal parts of turfy peat, loam, 

 and leaf soil, with sand. Water copiously all through the hottest part of the year. 



musa. — Also known as Banana and Plantain-tree, are noble plants for warm con- 

 servatories, and large stoves. When the plants reach a certain size some of the species 

 produce large clusters of edible fruit superior in quality to the majority of bananas 

 imported, but in order to be successful in this respect they must have special treatment, 

 as given in The Fruit Grower's Guide. M. Cavendishi, China, attains a height of 5 to 6 

 feet, and forms deep green leaves 2 to 3 feet long, and 1 to 2 feet broad. High tem- 

 peratures are not essential for this species, and it is also the best for fruiting. M. 

 coccinea, Cochin China, height 4 feet, has leaves 3 feet long and G inches broad, dark- 

 green in colour ; flowering spathes scarlet. M. ensete, China, attains a height of 1 3 to 

 20 feet ; leaves very long and broad, bright green with a broad, bright crimson mid-rib. 

 M. sapientum, the true banana, Tropics, grows to a height of 20 feet in favourable 

 positions, and the deep green leaves attain a length of 8 feet. Musas are constantly 

 pushing up suckers, and these, if carefully detached with roots, potted, and placed in a 

 temperature of 75° to 85° soon become established. If large plants are desired they 

 may be produced in pots or tubs, employing a compost of coarsely broken fibrous 

 loam and decayed manure, with sand and potsherds to keep it porous. Arrange the 

 plants where they can develop rapidly and supply them with abundance of moisture at 

 the roots and in the atmosphere. 



MUSS-ffiNDA. — M. frondosa, Tropical Asia, is the only species of this genus generally 

 met with. It is an evergreen, erect flowering shrub, attaining a height of 2 to 3 feet ; 

 flowers yellow, but the chief beauty consists in the large white bracts ; propagate 

 during May or June by inserting cuttings in sandy soil, under a bell-glass in a 

 temperature of 70° to 80°. Pot in equal parts of sandy loam, peat, and leaf soil, and 

 assign the plants a light position in moist heat. Supply them with abundance of water 

 during the spring and summer months and moderate quantities for the rest of the year. 



NEPENTHES. 



Few, if any, plants rival Nepenthes or Pitcher Plants for the extraordinary structure 

 of the leaf appendages. They are described by botanical authorities as follows : — 

 vol. in. c 



