112 
REMARKS ON THE BARRINGTONIA SPECIOSA. 
The growth of this plant is attended with much difficulty, and has, ever since it 
first became an inmate of our stoves, had much of the attention of practical men 
directed to discover the mode of treatment best adapted for it. After all that has 
been said, and the exertions made, to demonstrate what is essential for its successful 
cultivation, it is still but little understood among many cultivators. This is evident, 
from the many apparently healthy, but in reality, sickly stunted specimens often 
found in the collections of this country. All who have turned their attention to 
the progress made by this plant when growing, must be convinced that the nature 
of it is to grow rapid and luxuriant, and that it requires a steady humid atmosphere, 
varying in temperature from 65° to 70° Fahrenheit, to enable it to accomplish these 
points. To irregularity of treatment is to be attributed the bad success of many 
who possess this plant ; and which is seen first, by the temperature of the house 
getting too low ; and secondly, by the atmosphere being allowed to become very 
dry ; the ill eff"ects of either are soon visible when persisted in for any length of 
time, by the upper surface of the leaves assuming a pale yellow colour, and becoming 
blotched, as if sufi"ering from drip in various places over their surface, and prema- 
turely falling off. Nor does the bad effect of too low a temperature, which of the 
two is by far the most dangerous, cease here ; but it extends itself to the bark of 
the young wood, which it causes to rot in more than one place, and, if not checked, 
would end in the total destruction of the whole plant. At the usual time of 
shifting stove plants (spring), the S. speciosa requires to be examined also, and if 
thought advisable to be shifted: this should be done by applying to the roots a 
mixture of soil, comprising two parts of loam, and one of peat and sand ; these propor- 
tions should be well incorporated but not sifted. In potting, good drainage is 
indispensable ; as the soil, if this be not observed, is liable to get sour, and thus 
canker the roots. After potting, the temperature of the house should never 
descend lower than 65°, if it does, and is allowed to continue in this state for 
any length of time, it may be of the worst consequences ; and on the other hand, it 
is not advisable to suffer the thermometer to rise higher than 80°, although in very 
hot weather a little variation from this will not signify, still the nearer it is kept to 
this the better. In a temperature varying between the above two points with a 
moist atmosphere, the plants will grow rapidly and strong, requiring no other 
attention than that of supplying them with water at the roots, and occasionally 
syringing them over to prevent the attacks of insects. Towards the autumn, when 
their growth begins to decline, less water than usual should be given; and in the |] 
winter very little will be required, and this only when the soil becomes very dry. 
In the autumn and winter months, when it will be requisite to allow the ^ 
atmosphere of the house to become more dry, as much humidity at this season is 
injurious to most stove plants, the temperature must, by no means, sink below 65 
or 60 degrees. In this state the wood will ripen, and the newly formed buds will ' 
