46 



PAXTON'S FLOWER GARDEN. 



into it here further than by pointing 1 to the fact that, so far as our own experience goes, the 

 more insects the plants were in a position to entrap, the better and stronger they grew to a 

 marked extent, and that the presence of putrid animal matter in absolute contact with 

 vegetable life, so soft in texture as are most of the plants in question, unless of some natural 

 assistance to them, would in a very short time cause its destruction ; in place of which the 

 reverse is the case, as the longer the dead insects remain, the longer the traps retain their 

 vitality. 



Found indigenous, as most of the species are, in the continually moist regions of India 

 or the adjacent islands, they need to be grown in a warm house where the atmosphere 

 is never allowed to become so dry as will answer for most plants inhabiting hot countries. At 

 one time it was supposed they were benefited by plunging in bottom heat, but the contrary is 

 now proved, for the best examples ever produced were suspended as near as possible to the 

 roof of the house in which they were grown. The best fibrous matter, selected from good 

 orchid peat, to about a third or a fourth of sphagnum, with broken pot-shreds and some 

 sand added, will grow them well. Whatever potting is required must be done with very 

 great care, so as not to injure their fragile roots. Plenty of drainage is a necessity, with 

 water to the roots every day during the growing season, and the soil, even when at rest, 

 always kept moist, as well as being syringed over-head once daily, with a humid, rather 

 close atmosphere, and shade in sunny weather. A temperature during the night in winter of 

 about 65°, and 5° more by day, with 70° at night in summer, up to 80° or 85° in the 

 daytime, will answer. 



The subject of our illustration was taken from the splendid collection of O. O. Wrigley, 

 Esq., Bridge Hall, Bury, Lancashire, where these, in common with equally well-managed 

 Sarracenias and magnificent Orchids, present an appearance such as is very rarely met with, 

 and which to the lover of exceptionally fine plants offer a treat worth going far to see. 



The following additional kinds are all handsome and distinct. 



N. Bafflesiana. A grand, large, free-growing species, with very large flask-shaped 

 pitchers, beautifully mottled with reddish-brown. 



1ST. lanata {Syn. villosa). A robust-growing, thick-leaved species, with very distinct, 

 large, long pitchers, broad towards the lower part. Wings ciliolata. 



N. Hookekii. A stout-growing sort, with short, broad, medium -sized pitchers, 

 beautifully spotted with reddish-brown. A good grower. 



N. Sedenii. A small-growing hybrid, bearing long pitchers, profusely covered with 

 dark-red streaks and spots. 



N. chelsonii. Another hybrid, raised at Messrs. Veitch/s establishment at Chelsea, 

 from whence so many fine seedlings have made their appearance. It bears broad, flask- 

 shaped, highly-coloured pitchers, with prominent wing appendages. 



