STRELITZ/A 
277 
secure good flowers, only three growths should 
be allowed to a plant in a five-inch pot. 
/. Williamsii. — A plant coming near 1. 
Fraseri in size and habit, but distinct in its 
pleasing shade of reddish-salmon. A general 
favourite with market growers, for its good 
constitution, vigour, and endurance in a lower 
temperature than is enjoyed by most other 
Ixoras. " G. A. BROWN. 
STRELITZIA {Bi?r/ of Paradise 
Flower) . 
Handsomi- and distinct sub-tropical 
plants in hve species, allied to the Ban- 
ana, the Canna, and ^rc TrtU Lellei^ Tree^ 
of Madagascar [Ra'i^e^^la)^ ana like 
them hne in leaf and Xvitjj^ the charm 
of large flowers of si^ular beauty. The j 
name Strelitzia wa^ ^iven by Sir Joseph 
Banks in honour of Queen Charlotte of 
Mecklemburg-Strelitz, wife of George 
III., to whom the gardens at Kew owed 
much in 1773, the year in which Stre- 
litzia regince — the first-known kind — 
was introduced. The tall kinds are 
scarce, beingsuited only to a lofty house 
where 20 feet or more of growth is not 
out of place ; or to the warmer parts 
of the south of Europe and Algeria, 
where good use is made of them in the 
open air, as in the gardens at Monte 
Carlo which have a magnificent growth 
of Strelitzia Augusta in the partial shade 
of old Olive trees. With us, however, j 
full-grown plants of these kinds are sel- i 
dom seen save in botanical gardeli^,! 
though young ones are sometimes used 
for summer-gardening in the warmest 
parts of the south and west. The stem- 
less kinds such as Strelitzia regi?icE are ; 
better suited for general cultivation, ! 
thriving in fairly cool houses of moderate ■ 
size. Established pot-plants may in- 
deed be stood in the open air through- 
out the summer and will be better for 
all the sun that they can get, flowering 
freely early in the spring in an inter- 
mediate house where the temperature 
does not fall much below 50° in winter. 
They will even do well in a house from 
which frost is barely excluded, along 
with Azaleas, Camellias, and Agapan- 
thus, while on the Riviera the cold 
winter nights seldomdo anyharmunless 
the plants are exposed to keen white frost 
.aad early sunlight. Owing to their great 
mast of roots, large pots are required 
if the plants are to do well, and in these 
they may remain for years with an annual 
top-dressing of rich soil. But they do 
best planted out under glass, growing 
rapidly when the thick fleshy roots have 
ample space and are well nourished, for 
the Strelitzias are gross feeders. 
Culture. — Strelitzias thrive in soil, 
composed of turfy loam and decayed 
manure, with a little sand and ample 
drainage to guard against stagnant 
moisture while the plants are being 
heavily watered during full growth. 
This soil mixture should be prepared 
some while in advance, and, when once 
thepla^s *-e well established, southern 
growersjuse strong liquid manures in 
the growing season and while the plants 
are in flower. Duringautumnand winter 
little water is needed, especially if the 
plants are grown cool. They thrive in 
full sunlight and should have ventila- 
tion whenever possible. Though little 
subject to insect pests the Strelitzias are 
sometimes attacked by scale, but this 
is easily removed by sponging with in- 
secticide. Increase is mostly by seed 
