ORNAMENTAL STOVE AND GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 379 



Palms in particular thrive well when watered freely ; in fact 

 some might be termed semi-aquatics. More Palms are, I think, 

 brought into a sickly condition for want of water than from any 

 other cause. Crotons also are something like our common 

 Willow in this respect. 



In conclusion, I would draw attention to the effect produced 

 by a judicious use of plants of ornamental leafage in mixed 

 groups, as seen now so frequently at our horticultural shows. 

 They are indeed the chief factors employed, for it is easier to 

 dispense with flowering plants altogether than it is to take the 

 opposite course and rely solely upon those in flower. 



Discussion. 



Mr. James Douglas remarked that Fuchsias were fine green- 

 house plants, and were well worthy of cultivation. There were 

 many other kinds of plants which could be easily grown if only 

 a love for the work was brought to bear on the matter. He 

 mentioned the case of a working man in the North of England 

 who began with growing greenhouse plants. Soon he grew 

 these well, and would not be satisfied until he tried to cultivate 

 more difficult plants requiring a warmer temperature. He built 

 himself a hothouse, and by diligent exertions managed at length 

 to produce an entirely new and beautiful plant. This was now 

 well known as Dipladenia Brearleyana, and the raiser of it 

 succeeded in obtaining from a London nurseryman the sum of 

 £150 for it. To raise such a plant, accounts of which filled the 

 horticultural papers at the time, he considered a great credit to 

 a working man, and it served to show what could really be done if 

 people would only try. 



Mr. Geokge Wythes said he could not but call attention to 

 a beautiful class of plants which, although not really coming 

 under the heading of " Stove or Greenhouse Plants," at any 

 rate well repaid the additional trouble of being grown in a cool 

 greenhouse. He referred to that charming Canterbury Bell, 

 Campanula pyramidalis, of which a fine group was present at 

 the time, and attracted great attention. 



