APRIL. 



45 



bloomed specimens of these are great points with judges and the pride of 

 exhibitors ; and so they are when seen in the home show-house. 



The culture of the Ixora, although somewhat troublesome, is, where the 

 proper temperature, &c, can be commanded, very simple; and if persons 

 attempting to grow these would attend to the following hints on their culture, 

 we should not, I believe, so frequently meet with instances of failure as has 

 hitherto been, and still is the case. To grow any of the varieties successfully, 

 there must be the means of maintaining a moist temperature of from 70° to 80° 

 by day, and 65° to 70° at night, while the plants are making their growth, 

 and until they are fairly set for bloom ; and where this cannot be commanded 

 the culture of these should not be attempted, for the chances are that, despite 

 every care and attention, it will prove unsatisfactory, if not a failure. There 

 is also one other point which must be attended to in order to insure success — 

 viz., keeping the plants free from insects. They are very liable to be infested 

 with brown scale, thrips, red spider, green and black fly ; and all these pests 

 must be kept under at any expense of labour, &c, where success is to be 

 insured. Ixoras are not, however, more subject to these pests than many 

 other plants ; but they cannot, after they are fairly set for bloom, be smoked 

 without danger of causing the bloom to fall : hence every care should be used 

 to keep them perfectly clear of aphis, &c, while this can be done safely by 

 means of tobacco smoke. It will occasionally happen that a specimen which 

 has been kept perfectly free from insects while making its growth, will be 

 suddenly attacked by some pest directly it is fairly set for bloom ; and in this 

 case I lay the affected plant on its side, over a large wooden tray, and syringe 

 it with what is known amongst plant-growers as "Veitch's Composition," which 

 will kill aphis and red spider. But the plant, while being syringed, should be 

 turned, and the syringe played against the back and front of the leaves all over 

 it, so as to insure every portion of it being thoroughly moistened with the 

 composition. It should be left to drain for an hour or so, and then be well 

 syringed with clean soft water ; and it is advisable to do this early in the 

 morning, and in a cool corner of the house ; for if the composition is allowed 

 to dry on the foliage it will be difficult to wash it off thoroughly, and unless 

 this is done the leaves will not be their natural colour. It can hardly be 

 necessary to say that the plants should not be syringed with anything at a 

 lower temperature than the atmosphere of the house in which they have been 

 growing, or that they should not be taken into a cold house, or out of doors, 

 to be dressed. I have used this composition upon Ixoras when they were only 

 just set for bloom, and when they were almost in full beauty, and have never 

 found it to injure them, nor to fail in clearing them of all aphis pests and red 

 spider, and it will, by one dressing properly applied, effectually clear a plant 

 of these of mealy bug ; and after having tried most or all of the receipts or 

 compositions which have been offered during the last twenty years for the 

 destruction of insects, I consider this the best. It is poured upon two pounds 

 of soft soap, a quarter of a pound of tobacco, and a quarter of a pint of spirits 

 of turpentine. This is corked tight in a jar, and left for a dav or two, then 

 strained through a muslin sieve, and kept closely corked till wanted for use. 

 With the aid of this, keeping the plants clean is a mere question of labour 

 applied when wanted ; and if the plants are kept free from insects, and afforded 

 the temperature which I have recommended, they will thrive with the most 

 ordinary management in other respects. But I will, for the benefit of those 

 amongst your readers who may be inexperienced in the management of these, 

 add an outline of their culture generally. 



All the varieties are easily propagated by cuttings, but some of them, as 

 salicifolia, Griffithi, and acuminata, are so wanting in the tendency to form 



