40 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ February, 
that it may prove to be a species of Sagus. Whatever its synonymy, it is in the 
young state a most charming decorative plant, as also are many members of the 
allied genus Calamus. 
Dcemonorops is a rather extensive family group, found wild in the forests of 
tropical Asia, and chiefly in those of the East Indian Archipelago. They have 
climbing prickly stems, and elegantly pinnated leaves composed of linear leaflets. 
The species are sometimes included in Calamus , but they differ technically in 
having deciduous spathes, ruminate albumen, and in some other botanical 
characters. Our garden collections include several highly ornamental plants, 
such as D. melanochcctes, D. Jeukinsianus , D. ftssus, D. Lewisianus , D. hygro- 
philus , D. oblong us, D. hystrix , D. accedens , D. Draco , D. cinnamomeus , and 
several others. 
They are stove palms, requiring to be potted in a compost of free loam and 
vegetable mould, and to be kept abundantly supplied with water. Young plants 
from a foot to two or three feet high, are exceedingly valuable for various orna¬ 
mental purposes, such as the decoration of rooms and conservatories, and the 
furnishing of dinner-tables, &c.—T. M. 
ON PANSIES. 
C/frfHESE old-established favourites amongst amateurs have suffered severely 
during the last two seasons, the long-continued drought being too great a 
strain on their constitution, and, notwithstanding the water-pan’s frequent 
use, many growers here and elsewhere have lost their whole stock. Some 
indeed have only that fine hardy yellow self, Cloth of Gold, left. I have lost 
many through affliction at a time when activity was needed, for during such 
weather they require diligent attention—they look quite healthy one day, and 
the next they look as though struck with a pestilence, and droop in an hour. As 
soon as I perceive this in any scarce variety, I take the plant up at once, and 
plunge it in a vessel of cold water for a few hours, and when revived I take off 
the cuttings and place them in nice sandy soil under a hand-glass in a shady 
situation, and by this means I save many ; but if the}’- are not taken in time, it 
is a difficult matter to revive them. A little ammonia put into the water is very 
useful in extreme cases. 
The best method is to grow them amongst other things, in order to break the 
scorching rays of the sun in very hot weather. This season I have grown mine 
amongst the Eoses and Gladioli, and they did very well in general. Others in 
the same locality who grew them on open beds have lost nearly all their stock. 
One friend will have it that they have not the hardy constitution they formerly 
had. How far his theory may be correct I cannot say. I do find that they may 
be treated too tenderly during the winter months, for those plants that have 
been nursed the most carefully during that time are generally the first to suc¬ 
cumb. I have a hedge on a raised bank on the north side of my garden where I 
