3° 



THE FLOWER GROWER'S GUIDE. 



cymes of pink flowers in August. S. Wendlandi (Fig. 12), Costa Eica, described as a 

 climbing glabrous stove sbrub, with large leaves, flowers profusely for about three 

 months, commencing in August, or earlier ; colour, lilac-blue. They are propagated 

 in spring by inserting cuttings of youug shoots. First establish the young plants in 

 small pots, and then plant in tubs or narrow borders and a moderately rich loamy soil. 

 If they must be kept in pots these should be of large size, and liquid manure, in 

 addition to abundance of water, must be supplied during the growing and flowering 

 periods. Train the plants up pillars and rafters, allowing them to branch and trail 

 freely. Shorten these loose flowering growths severely in February or March, and 

 soon after either top-dress or place fresh compost about the roots. Solanums fail if 

 starved at the roots. Syringe freely to keep down red spider. 



sonerila. — A few of these plants may well be grown for the beauty both of their 

 foliage and flowers. They are stove perennials, flowering during the summer. S. 

 Margaritacea, East Indies, grows to a height of 8 to 10 inches, and has prettily-spotted 

 leaves, while the flowers are rose-coloured and produced in corymbs. Hendersoni 

 argyrea, marmorata superba, Madame Alesch, and Alfred Mame are attractive varieties 

 of S. Margaritacea. They may be raised from seeds, in a mixture of fine peat, chopped 

 sphagnum and sand, in a temperature of 75° to 85° ; January to April. Also increased 

 by cuttings of shoots inserted singly in small pots of sandy peat, under a bell-glass in 

 strong heat. Move the young plants into larger well-drained pots, surrounding the 

 roots with a mixture of fibrous loam, chopped sphagnum, nodules of charcoal, pot- 

 sherds and sand. When growing freely they should have copious supplies of water, 

 also abundance of moisture in the atmosphere, and must be shaded from bright sun. 

 What re-potting is necessary ought to be done in February or March. 



STEPHANOTIS. 



Very little need be said in praise of Stephanotis floribunda. It is a general favourite 

 and deservedly so. Properly treated well-established plants are capable of producing 

 large numbers of clusters of pure white, waxy, sweet-scented flowers annually, the 

 season extending from May to November inclusive. S. floribunda is a native of Mada- 

 gascar, and was introduced to this country in 1839. The Elvaston variety of it is 

 supposed to be more floriferous than the type, quite small plants flowering freely, though 

 this may be due to superior cultivation. Occasionally large egg-shaped pods of seed are 



