APRIL. 



47 



of the stronger-growing varieties, as coccinea, javanica, &c, and would be 

 decidedly injurious in the ease of such varieties as alba, salicifolia, and 

 floribunda ; for these, unless they are well attended to, and grown in a shady, 

 warm, moist house, are apt to set for bloom before they have made sufficient 

 growth to carry fine heads. When the plants are treated for blooming only 

 once in the year, I remove them, when their beauty is over, to a house where 

 the temperature will seldom fall below 55°, and winter them here, keeping 

 them on the side of dryness at the root, only giving sufficient water to keep the 

 roots and foliage in a healthy state. I cut back, tie out the shoots, and 

 thoroughly clean the foliage just before starting the plants into growth. 



As to soil and potting, a rather strong grassy peat is the best, and it should 

 be used in a fresh fibry state, breaking it up rather finely, and adding about 

 one-sixth part of silver sand. In potting, the fresh soil should be packed as 

 firmly that the water cannot escape through this without moistening the ball. 

 I generally repot a plant just before starting it into growth, giving about a 

 three-inch shift, and plants which are driven to cause them to make two 

 growths in the year are shifted twice in a year. In the case of plants which 

 are considered large enough there is no necessity to shift them annually, and, 

 with the aid of manure water, or occasional dressings of some concentrated 

 manure, a plant may be kept in the most vigorous health for several years 

 without repotting ; and manure water, or frequent applications in small 

 quantities of some concentrated fertiliser, will be found useful in the case 

 of young plants which are being pushed on to form specimens as quickly as 

 possible. 



Nearly all the varieties of this genus which are now found in the trade 

 lists of the leading nurserymen are well worth growing, but they are not all 

 equally suitable for the decoration of the conservatory ; for coccinea and 

 javanica (Veitch's) will remain in beauty six weeks, while alba, and some of 

 the other varieties which exhibitors find the most useful, will hardly stand half 

 the time. For ordinary decorative purposes coccinea and javanica (Veitch's) 

 are the most useful ; but the latter has such a tendency to make wood that I 

 cannot treat it so as to make certain to force it to set for bloom when I want 

 it to do so without injuring other occupants of the house ; and although this, 

 when seen in good condition, is one of the most effective varieties, I have 

 replaced it by amboynensis, which is very nearly the same colour, and if not 

 as vigorous a grower, is as free a bloomer as alba or salicifolia, and makes 

 sufficient wood to carry large heads of bloom, and soon makes a large-sized 

 specimen, carries its bloom well, if not quite as long as javanica, &c. 



For exhibition purposes salicifolia, Lobbi, and alba are my favourites ; but 

 coccinea, when well done, is probably equal to any of them. Lobbi is a 

 vigorous grower, and blooms as freely as alba, and is a very easily managed 

 and effective variety, but it does not last so long in beauty as coccinea ; but 

 with good management it may be had fairly covered with bloom. This and 

 amboynensis are the most certain bloomers amongst the free-growing varieties, 

 and ought to be in every collection. Acuminata throws very large heads of 

 bloom, and I expect that, grafted on coccinea, it will form fine specimens, and 

 be more effective than alba. 



Alpha. 



THE ARAUCARIA 1MBRICATA. 



I have not yet heard of young plants being raised from seed saved in this 

 country. A large female plant here has produced a crop of cones these last 



