THE GREENHOUSE AND ITS FLOWERS. 2/,9 



or a little later, they may be placed out of doors till the 

 autumn, and then again taken into the greenhouse. 

 While an excess of water should be guarded against, they 

 must, on the other hand, never be allowed to get too dry, 

 as the roots are very fine and delicate, and quickly suffer 

 from excessive drought. 



The Himalayan Rhododendrons — that is, the different 

 species natives of that region — are in some instances 

 really gorgeous ; but as many of them attain quite tree- 

 like dimensions there are few structures sufficiently large 

 for their development. The best are : K. arboreum, 

 rosy red ; R. Aucklandi, while; R. barbatum, crimson ; 

 R. campanulatum, lilac ; K. campylocarpiun, pale 

 yellow ; R. ciliatum, rosy purple; R. Dalhousire, lemon ; 

 K. Edgeworthi, while ; K. 1' alcoiieri, lilu-.li ; R. lulgcns, 

 crimson; R. grande, while; R. renkinsi; while; R. 

 Nuttalli, pale rose ; R. Thomsoni, blood red; R. 

 Veitchianum, white. 



Numerous hybrids have been raised betw een the above, 

 in which light-coloured flowers greatly predominate. 

 They will flower in a much smaller slate than most of 

 the original species, and for greenhouse decoration about 

 March and April they are unsurpassed. Hybrids of this 

 section a r e : 

 C o u n I c s s of 

 Iiadd i n g ton, 

 C o u n t e s s of 

 Sefton, Exoni- 

 ense, Duchess of 

 S u t h e r 1 a n d , 

 Lady Skelmers- 

 dale, Lady Alii e 

 Fitzwilliam, ai d 

 Princess Alice. 



A n o t h e r 

 group, which are 

 known as the 

 Javanese, tube- 

 flowering, or 

 p e r ]) e I u a 1 - 

 blooming Rho- 

 dodendrons, 

 have become 

 very popular < f 

 late years. 

 T h e y are 

 characterised by 

 smooth leaves 

 and n a rro w 

 tube -shaped 

 blossoms. The c 

 varieties grow 

 and f 1 o w e r 

 throughout the 

 year, but to 

 induce them to 

 bloom during 

 winter a mil i- 

 mum tempera- 

 ture o[ 5odeg. 

 is desirable. 

 Some of the 

 best are: 

 Baroness Henry 

 Schroeder, 

 blush ; Brilliant, 

 scarlet ; Ceres, 

 buff yellow ; 

 Favourite, rose; 

 jas in inifl ornm 

 carminatum, carmine 

 Princess Alexandra, 

 Souvenir de J. II. Mangf 

 crimson-scarlet. 

 Riehardia afrieana (Ai i/i/i I ily), know n also as Calla 

 sethiopica and the Lily of the Nile, is a popular green- 

 house plant that w ill flower at different times of the year, 

 according to the treatment given it. 1'lenly of moisture 



RICIIARDIA FLLIOTTI NA. 



Lor 



w bill 

 Mam 



Wolseley, orange yellow ; 



Princess Royal, pink ; 

 ;s, orancre ; Triumphans, 



is necessary during the glowing season. Of the Arum 

 Lily there is a variety gigantea, larger than the type, and 

 one compacta, less in stature, while a third, Little Gem, 

 is quite a miniature, being only about ill. high, and very 

 usclul lor culling or do oration. R. Elliottiana and 

 R. Pentlandi are two new kinds with golden spalhes. 

 These go to rest at the end of the summer, and remain 

 dormant lill nearly Christmas, when they start into 

 growth, and flower in spring and early summer. These 

 golden spathed Arums when first shown a few years ago 

 created something approaching a sensation, the spathes 

 being of a pure golden colour, whilst one hears of other 

 departures, namely, a rose spathed kind, and it would not 

 be surprising if quite a series of forms appeared, as one 

 never knows how successful the hybridist may be. Arum 

 Lilies are very easily grown, and their noble ivory spathes 

 are always welcome, especially for bold decorations, such 

 as for churches, and in wreaths, too, they are much 

 used. Growers differ somewhat in their treatment of the 

 plants. One recommends planting out in trenches in the 

 summer, another growing them entirely in pots. Rapid 

 summer growth, at any rate, is a mistake, and when 

 planted out the soil should not be very rich. As a rule 



gardeners a r e 

 1 1 intent to leave 

 them in the 

 pots, and those 

 with small 

 gardens and 

 little spare time 

 upon their 

 hands to go 

 into elaborate 

 systems of cul- 

 ture will find 

 pot culture the 

 e a s i e r p l a n . 

 The plants must 

 be thoroughly 

 well ripened — 

 that is essential ; 

 give sufficient 

 w ater to prevent 

 them suffering, 

 and in the 

 a u t u m n the 

 crowns may lie 

 divided, or 

 transferred to 

 puis of larger 

 size : then, w ith 

 a little warmth, 

 new grow ih w ill 

 commence and 

 flower spathes 

 be produced in 

 rich abundance. 

 1 1 is w ise to give 

 very little water 

 in I he summer 

 im nilhs, because 

 from experience 

 one finds that 

 clumps lifted 

 with plenty or 

 succulent green 

 leaves are not so 

 satisfactory as 

 those more har- 

 il e n e d a n d 

 late spring stand them 

 from keen winds, and 

 supplv. A well-known 

 a horticultural journal, 



obust. 

 at in 

 radual 

 rower 



After flowering in 

 a place sheltered 

 reduce the water 

 if fhese, writing ir 



mentions that ''by the first week in June the plants, pots 

 and all, are laid upon their sides or stacked in a heap. 

 In this way during June ami July they are not permitted 

 to have any water at all. Early in August the plants are 



