250 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



of nourishment is stored, and this may remain unused for many 

 months, or even years. I would, in closing, warn any grower of 

 these plants not to throw away what may appear to be only a 

 dead stem, for if left to itself it may, after years of inactivity, 

 suddenly break forth into leaf, to the astonishment of the gar- 

 dener, and for reasons only known to the plant itself, if I may 

 say so. 



Discussion. 



Dr. Masters remarked that one of the most extraordinary 

 things about the Cycadeae was that the plants which are now 

 known are actually the same as those which existed when the 

 world was very young. He ventured to say that if all the huge 

 antediluvian animals, such as were represented at the Crystal 

 Palace, and which at one time lived in the world, were now to 

 be seen walking about, x^eople would be considerably astonished, 

 and yet these were but contemporaries of the same Cycadacese 

 as at present exist. 



From a cultural point of view, he was astonished that such 

 magnificent ornamental plants, which were so easily grown, were 

 not more generally to be met with in gardens. 



Mr. W. Watson said it was very true that, with one or two 

 exceptions, cycadaceous plants might be easily grown. They 

 should, however, all receive tropical treatment, notwithstanding 

 the fact that Cycas revoluta would live, but not thrive, in a cool 

 greenhouse. In reference to the lecturer's remark as to the stems 

 retaining life for a very long time, Mr. Watson mentioned that 

 some years ago Baron Mueller, of Melbourne, sent over a trunk 

 of Macrozamia Mueller i to the Koyal Gardens, Kew. For three 

 years this trunk was kept in the Palm-house, but it exhibited no 

 sign of life. The lower half of the stem was quite dead. This 

 portion was cut off, and soon after the upper portion began to 

 grow. The plant is now in a healthy condition, and possesses a 

 fine head of leaves. Cycads sometimes lose their growing 

 points, the central part rotting away ; and under these circum- 

 stances the stem will sometimes produce lateral branches. They 

 are thus quite different from Palms in this respect. It was not 

 possible to get the seeds of Cycads to ripen in this country, 

 because the pistillate (female) and staminate (male) plants do not 

 flower at the same time, consequently the ovules could not be 



