March.'] GREEN-HOUSE— REPOTTING. 



245 



yearS; the habits and beauties of the plant are improved 

 a hundred-fold, and those who are only acquainted with the 

 old sorts would be transported with a view of the dazzling 

 and beauteous colony of the new kinds that have been pro- 

 cured by hybridizing those of good habit and character. 



The best method to adopt in impregnating these is to 

 choose the female, one that has large flowers, of easy culti- 

 vation, and as nearly allied in character and other habits as 

 possible. When a flower of the intended female is newly 

 expanded, take a pair of very fine-pointed scissors, and cut 

 off the anthers before the polten expands ; then, as soon as 

 the summit of the stile divides, apply the pollen taken 

 from the anthers of the intended male plant on a very fine 

 camel hair-pencil, or cut out the stigma entirely, and place 

 the anther on the summit of the stile, which if correctly done 

 will have the desired effect. As soon as the seed is ripe, 

 sow it in light sandy soil ; and when it has come up, take 

 care not to over-water the soil, which would cause them to 

 damp off. When they are about one inch high, put them 

 into small potg, and treat as the other varieties. Have them 

 all distinctly marked until they flower, which will be in the 

 second year from the time of sowing 



The tuberous and fleshy stemmed species are very interest- 

 ing to the discriminating inquirer. Their habit and constitu- 

 tion are so peculiar that we have frequently wondered that 

 they have not been separated into distinct genera. The cul- 

 tivation of them is more difficult, water being very prejudi- 

 cial to them when they are inactive. If they are well 

 managed, they flower beautifully, and the colors are very 

 superior and peculiar, having frequently bright green and 

 purple in the same flower. 



The following list comprehends the most desirable varieties 

 that we have seen : — 



21^ 



• 



