22 
ON THE CULTURE OF NEW AND RARE PLANTS. 
will strike freely in sandy loam under a bell-glass, in the stove. The plants from 
which the cuttings have been taken may be retained in the stove till they have 
formed new shoots, when other cuttings can be taken off if required ; if not, they 
should be removed to a house of the temperature before named. The cuttings, 
after they are struck, should be potted off into small-sized pots, and repotted as they 
may require. The soil best suited to this plant is a compost of heath mould and 
rich loam. Well-established plants kept in the temperature before proposed, will, 
about the months of November or December, when our plant-houses are almost 
devoid of interest, produce a fine cluster of beautiful pink-coloured blossoms from 
the termination of every shoot, which will remain expanded for some months, and 
exhale a most delightful and agreeable odour. When the flower-buds begin to 
appear, and till they are fully expanded, it is important that they should be fre- 
quently fumigated with tobacco-smoke, as at this period of their growth they are 
extremely subject to the ravages of the green fly. Plants now in the possession of 
of Mr. Young, treated as above proposed, are flowering from the extremity of every 
shoot ; while such as have been kept in the stove rarely produce more than two or 
three clusters of flowers. We recommend our readers to try this proposition, and 
we feel assured that they will be amply rewarded by a rich profusion of the delight- 
ful blossoms of this truly excellent plant. 
On ihew'mtei tre'dimeiii Pentstemon Murrayanus. We have elsewhere observed, 
in a former number, that to flower this plant in the greatest perfection, it should be 
planted out into the open border ; but it is necessary to remove it from this situa- 
tion after the flowering season is over, in order to preserve it through the winter 
from the attacks of frost, mildew, &c. ; to effect this, the plants should be taken 
up and potted into pots of sufilcient magnitude to contain the roots, and these plants 
thus potted, together with such young ones as may have been taken from them, will 
require the greatest possible care and attention during the winter season ; for want of 
attention to this particular has been almost the sole reason why this plant is still so 
scarce in this country. The shelf of a greenhouse as near as possible to the glass, and 
where free circulation of air can be obtained in mild and fine weather, has been found 
by experience to be the best situation for them at this season ; every precaution 
must be used in order to preserve them from damping off ; w^ater must be administered 
seldom and judiciously, and never over the leaves ; whenever the leaves are observed 
to become spotted with brown it is a sure indication that either the atmosphere of the 
househasbeen kept too humid, or that too much water has been incautiously given 
them ; and if these symptoms are passed by unheeded, the plants will gradually sicken 
and eventually be irrevocably lost ; but if these things are properly and imme- 
diately attended to, if water is withheld, and a free circulation of air is obtained 
if possible, this plant may be safely preserved through the severest winters, and 
form in the succeeding year; one of the most brilliant and showy ornaments to the 
flower-garden at present known to our collections. We are indebted to Mr. Young 
of Epsom for the above hints, who, owing to his judicious management, has ensured 
perhaps the best disposable stock of this splendid plant in the kingdom. 
