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HINTS ON THE CULTIVATION OF SOME SPECIES OF 
HEDYCHIUM. 
Every collection of plants, embracing; the cultivation of ornamental exotics, 
should contain some of the most beautiful species of this delightful genus. Indeed 
the whole Natural Order Scitaminece does not contain one more worthy of the 
cultivator's care, or that produces, in such a high degree, flowers combining the two 
leading desiderata in the culture of plants, viz., beauty and sweetness. They are 
all reed-like plants with herbaceous stems, natives without exception of the East 
Indies, and in the hot-houses of this country of the simplest cultivation. In 
noticing this genus, it is my intention to point out the most successful mode of 
cultivating each species ; to which will be added a few words on their peculiar merits, 
so far as my opportunities have enabled me to ascertain them. 
I shall commence with the 
H. coronarium ; or, as it is so very appropriately named, the "Sweet-scented 
Garland flower." This species produces an immense number of its delightfully 
sweet and snow-white flowers from June till late in October; these appear in 
constant succession at the top of the strongest shoots from beneath the imbricated 
scales, composing a compact squamose oblong spike. In the house, whether a large 
or a small one, where this plant is flowering, the most delightful and grateful odours 
mix with the atmosphere, so that on entering the smell is so pleasant, that a degree 
of reluctance is experienced when thoughts of leaving are entertained. With my 
mode of cultivation I have proved eminently successful : it is as follows. I have 
already stated that the plants cease to perfect any flowers towards the latter end of 
October ; at this time I place them any where at the back of the stove without 
reference to situation, for sometimes the light is nearly excluded; in a short time 
the leaves grow yellow, and the stems wither, when I cut them off within an inch of 
the base, leaving the plants in the same situation as before, where in fact they re- 
main all winter, during which time I never suffer them to have any water. In the 
spring, say early in March, when the potting season begins to bear heavy upon the 
gardener's mind, I examine the Hedychium coronarium, and, if necessary, I take 
out some of the oldest rhizomas or under-ground stems, thus affording the remainder 
more space and freedom to push, — if it does not require thinning I set about potting 
it, as directed below, in the following compost — rich strong turfy sandy loam in the 
proportion of three to one of rotten dung or leaf mould ; but the former I prefer, 
being stronger if well rotted, when it mixes nearly as well with the loam as decom- 
posed leaves ; or I have now and then thrown in a little peat instead of dung or leaf 
mould, but I always considered the plants to do better with dung. Whether or not 
the roots are parted, I always shake out a good part, if not the whole of the old soil, 
and plant the roots entirely in new compost, allotting to them such a sized pot as I 
find will be sufficient to enable them to support strong shoots, or in other words, 
to use the common term amongst gardeners, I always give a good or full shift. 
I invariably put two inches of coarse crocks for drainage at the bottom of each pot, 
upon which I lay an inch or so of rough turfy loam or dung ; the latter I find very 
VOL. IV. — NO. XLV. D D 
