14 



THE FLOWER GROWER'S GUIDE. 



and leaf soil, immersing them 12 to 18 inches deep in a tub or tank of water, kept at 

 about 70°, and changed occasionally. Ke-pot in February or March. 



panax.— A genus of plants with ash-like leaves, and of a fairly ornamental 

 character. P. fruiticosum, India, of which P. f. bipinnatum is a good form, is of a 

 freely branching, elegant habit of growth ; and the same may be said of P. Victoria?. 

 The latter has finely- cut, silvery variegated leaves, and in a small state is a good table 

 plant. Propagation is effected by cuttings of the roots in light sandy soil, and a 

 temperature of 80°, in March or April. Short lengths of stem may also be rooted in 

 brisk heat. Not much pot room is needed, and the plants should be allowed to grow 

 naturally. Pot in equal parts of loam, peat, and leaf soil, with a little sand. 



PANCRATIUM. 



Of the many elegant, sweet-scented white flowers so extensively used in bouquets, 

 wreaths, and other decorations, few are more effective and pleasing than those of 

 Pancratiums, Not only are the flowers light and pure white, but they are also 

 delightfully fragrant. Pancratium (or Hymenocallis) fragrans is one of the most 

 extensively cultivated, the plants forming stout broad leaves, and producing strong 

 flower scapes during the summer, from medium sized to large bulbs. P. amcenum 

 (syn. Hymenocallis amcena), Guiana, has leaves 10 inches long, with a thick fleshy 

 mid-rib ; flowers sweet-scented, tube greenish ; remainder of the flower white. 

 P. speciosum (syn. Hymenocallis speciosa), West Indies ; leaves very dark green, 

 18 to 24 inches long, and from 3 to 4 inches broad; flowers pure white, most fragrant 

 in the evening ; scape shorter than the leaves. 



Pancratiums are increased by division, or the removal of offsets from the old bulbs 

 when potting in March. Place the offsets singly in pots just large enough to properly 

 hold them, using a mixture of two parts loam to one of leaf soil and decayed manure, 

 adding a little silver sand. Plunge in a gentle hot-bed in a brisk heat and moist 

 atmosphere, and shade the plants from the sun. The following March transfer all that 

 have well filled their pots with roots into larger sizes, employing a compost similar 

 to that recommended for the offsets, only coarser. Bottom heat, in the form of hot- 

 beds, can be dispensed with after the plants become well established. They succeed 

 well under the conditions that agree with Eucharises (see page 331, Vol. II. ). Stove 

 species ought not to be treated as deciduous, but rather as evergreen bulbous plants. 



