ORNAMENTAL STOVE AND GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 377 



ing. Both Orchids, Ferns, and Aquatics are evidently quite at horn e. 

 More use ought, I think, to be made of aquatic plants ; many 

 of them are most ornamental. If the cultivation of such as the 

 Victoria regia cannot be carried out for want of a sufficiently 

 high temperature, it is not a difficult matter to select others suit- 

 able to a cooler house. 



It must be a strange matter if the obstacles which present 

 themselves to the cultivator cannot in one way or another be over- 

 come and the houses rendered both attractive and ornamental by 

 the use of plants with fine foliage. Each case in point should be 

 studied, and those things used in its ornamentation which by 

 previous observation have been found to succeed. In this way I 

 am fully persuaded that our plant-houses may be made more inte- 

 resting and attractive than they are to be seen at times. Plants 

 which have ceased to be in anywise ornamental by reason of 

 failing health should not be tolerated except for stock purposes. 

 It is an utter mistake to attempt to bring round into a healthy 

 state small or medium sized plants such as Crotons, Dracasnas, 

 and others which are of quick growth, when young ones can 

 be raised in less time and with much better results. If not 

 wanted for propagating purposes, the rubbish -heap is the best 

 place for these, room being thus afforded for growing other and 

 more promising plants. The culture of the majority of orna- 

 mental stove and greenhouse plants cannot be considered a 

 difficult matter when the means at disposal are fairly good. 

 "We who are gardeners have to contend against disadvantages 

 in one form or another ; this is, I think, oftentimes to our profit. 

 These difficulties arise in the culture of the plants under con- 

 sideration as in other instances. The mealy-bug, where it exists,, 

 is undoubtedly the greatest plant pest we have. When once clear 

 of it a great sense of relief is afforded, to say nothing of the saving 

 of labour in cleaning, which can hardly be effected without 

 injury if the case be a bad one, the plants at the same time 

 being weakened by the presence of the insects themselves. 

 Amongst Crotons I have, in common with some other growers, 

 been troubled with the leaves dropping from the points of the 

 shoots at times. This, if not detected in time, goes on until the 

 points are completely denuded of any semblance of a leaf. This 

 is caused by a very minute species of spider, which can only be 

 seen with any distinctness through a powerful glass. I would 



