THE STOVE OR TROPICAL PLANT HOUSE. 



717 



during their growing season, but require to be 

 kept pretty dry during their period of rest. 



Campylobotris discolor. — A handsome flower- 

 ing dwarf plant, propagated by cuttings, and 

 requiring a peat-and-loam soil. 



Ceropegia. — A genus of slender creeping 

 plants, more remarkable for the singularity of 

 their flowers than for their beauty. Propagated 

 readily by cuttings, and require a peat-and- 

 loam soil. 



Charianthus coccinus. — A beautiful slender- 

 growing, scarlet - flowered, autumnal -flowering 

 plant, related to Melastoma. Propagated readily 

 by cuttings, and thrives in a peat and turfy loamy 

 soil. 



Clerodendrum. — A fine genus of free- flowering 

 plants when well grown, some of which are 

 creepers ; the others are of pretty robust habit, 

 therefore requiring plenty of room as well as 

 large pots. They prefer a rich turfy soil, and 

 are readily increased by cuttings. 



Combretum. — A splendid genus of climbing 

 plants, requiring a turfy rich soil, abundance of 

 room, and increased by cuttings and layers, 

 with the exception of C. purpureum, which 

 should be grafted on C. Pincianum, or some 

 other free-growing species. As soon as the 

 young wood has ripened and the leaves begin to 

 fall, the lateral shoots should be cut back to 

 within one bud of the base ; and if the spurs 

 thus formed along the main stem become too 

 crowded, they should be thinned out to a foot 

 apart. By this means C. grandiflorum has been 

 made to bloom, which is one of the shyest 

 flowerers of the genus. 



Cyrtoceras reflexus. — A free-flowering plant, 

 nearly related to Hoya, and requiring nearly the 

 same treatment. 



Colvillea racemosa. — A magnificent Madagascar 

 tree, requiring a warm stove, abundance of water 

 while growing and flowering, to be kept com- 

 paratively dry during its season of rest. Propa- 

 gated by cuttings in a brisk heat, and requires a 

 rich turfy peaty soil. 



Dipladenia. — A genus separatedfrom Echites, 

 requiring the same treatment, &c. 



Echites. — A genus of climbing plants of great 

 beauty and easy culture, propagated by cut- 

 tings, and requiring a rich turfy slightly peaty 

 soil. 



Euphorbia. — Propagates readily by cuttings, 

 which should be laid aside after being made for a 

 few hours, to allow a portion of the milky sap to 

 escape, after which collodium may be applied to 

 the wound with advantage. Light well-drained 

 rich soil is most suitable for them. 



Eranthemum. — Chiefly half-shrubby plants, 

 free bloomers, and of extremely easy culture ; 

 propagated by cuttings, and requiring an ordi- 

 nary peat-and-loam soil. The young plants 

 require topping in their early stages to induce a 

 sufficient number of branches, after which they 

 should be allowed to extend themselves natu- 

 rally. 



Franciscea. — A genus of low-growing shrubby 

 plants, profuse flowerers, and mostly very fra- 

 grant. An intermediate stove temperature seems 

 to suit them best, and a soil three parts of 

 VOL. II. 



which are peat to one of loam is most congenial 

 to them. They are increased by cuttings, and 

 the plants, under good management, continue 

 for years- 



Gardenia. — A very popular tribe of plants, on 

 account of the abundance of their bloom and the 

 exquisite fragrance of several of the species. 

 They are increased by cuttings ; prefer a rich 

 peat-and-loam soil ; require a positive season of 

 rest, during which time they should be kept 

 comparatively dry and cool. None of the genus 

 will long withstand perpetual excitement, and 

 this is the principal cause of the want of general 

 success in their cultivation. 



Gesneria. — A genus for the most part of 

 tuberous-rooted plants, of easy culture and pro- 

 pagation. During their growing season they re- 

 quire all the stimulants afforded by a well-regu- 

 lated stove ; and as soon as their flowering sea- 

 son is past that of rest begins to take place, and 

 is evinced by the drying up of the foliage and 

 decay of the stems. When this takes place, 

 water must be gradually withheld ; and when the 

 stems become withered, the pots should be 

 removed to a dry and moderately warm place, 

 as under the plant-stages, or even into an empty 

 room, and be treated as recommended for bulbs 

 — (vide Bulb-House.) After two or three 

 months' rest they may be again set a-growing, 

 taking them in in succession, so as to lengthen 

 out their season of flowering, which can, by a 

 judicious selection of sorts and rotation in ex- 

 citing them, be made to extend over the whole 

 year. The dried tubers should be shaken out 

 of the soil they had previously been growing in, 

 and planted in fresh compost composed of rich 

 turfy loam and peat, using pots rather deeper 

 than those in ordinary use, to afford room for 

 their large tuberous roots : water sparingly at 

 first, and when vegetation commences, place 

 them in sufficient light, and increase the quan- 

 tity of water as they progress in growth. They 

 are readily increased by a separation of the 

 tubers. Those species which are not tuberous 

 are propagated sometimes, as in the case of dis- 

 color, by seed, and also by cuttings in the 

 ordinary manner. 



Gloxinia. — Produces seed in most cases abun- 

 dantly, which, on account of its very small size, 

 should be sown on a smooth surface of soil, and 

 merely covered with a slight covering of moss 

 laid lightly over it, and kept on till germination 

 has taken place. All the genus, and the now 

 rather numerous garden varieties, propagate 

 readily by the leaves, either by having their 

 foot-stalks inserted in sand, or the entire leaf 

 pegged down on sand, having the ribs on the 

 under side slightly fractured, at which points 

 roots will be formed, and also often along the 

 margin of the leaf. They all prefer a light rich 

 sandy soil, and abundance of water during their 

 growing period, after which, and on the disap- 

 pearance of the principal leaves, they should be 

 kept comparatively dry, and allowed to take 

 their season of rest. From their low habit they 

 are well calculated for growing in a low pit, 

 being removed from it to the stove when about 

 coming into flower. 



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