298 
THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
high enough to be liable to be broken. The stakes used may be 
cut off at the height of about fifteen inches, which will be sufficient 
for the support of most of the plants; the flower-spikes will require 
no support; and if the plants are kept near the glass, and frequently 
turned round, they, too, will probably need no staking, to cause 
them to assume the desired form. G. zebrina has a tendency, under 
high cultivation, to produce flower-spikes at the axils of the leaves, 
and it will generally form a more showy specimen in this way than 
if stopping is resorted to ; but w hen only one plant is used as the 
foundation of the specimen, it may be advisable to stop once, when 
about four inches high. 
An occasional watering with clear manure-water will tend very 
much to promote vigorous growth ; but this will be unnecessary till 
the plants have pretty well filled their pots with healthy roots. 
When the blossoms begin to be developed, the pLmts may be re- 
moved to the conservatory or greenhom-e ; but they must be 
gradually prepared for the change. Great care should be used to 
prevent their sustaining any check, and they should be guarded 
from currents of cold air after their removal. A temperature of 
from 45° to 50° at night will be necessary during the whole ef the 
blooming season, if the plants are expected to increase in size and 
beauty for some two months together. When they show symptoms 
of decline, water should be gradually withheld ; and when the 
foliage and stems die down, the pots should be placed in a situation 
where they will be free from damp and frost; unless the tubers are 
well-ripened, they should not be placed in a lower temperature than 
45°. A rich friable soil is essential to the production of fine specimens 
of Gesnera. 
I find light sandy turfy loam, rich fibry peat, and thoroughly 
decomposed cow-dung, in about equal proportions, adding a sufficient 
quantity of sharp silver sand, to insure the free percolation of water 
through the mass, to suit well. The loam and peat need not be 
broken up into very small pieces: but the dung should be passed 
through a fine sieve, to catch the worms, which it almost always 
contains. I ought to state that there are two varieties of Gesnera 
zebrina in cultivation, the one having thin, ill-coloured leaves, and, 
in every way, much inferior to the other ; therefore beginners should 
take care not to purchase the worthless variety, which, however, is 
fortunately not very common. 
THE MIRBELIA. 
OST of the species of this genus are of a nice compact 
habit of growth, forming handsome specimens, and 
their pretty little flowers are produced very freely ; 
hence they are well worthy of a place in the most select 
collections. Some of them are, however, rather diffi- 
cult subjects to manage; but if proper care is exercised from the 
first, so as to avoid letting them get into a sickly state, they will be 
