MARCir. 
67 
beauty longer than most of our greenhouse favourites, yet it rarely 
happens that we see it in anything like perfection. It is a first-class 
plant for decorative purposes, as well as one of the most effective for 
exhibition; and no plant with which I am acc[uainted better repays the 
trouble necessary to manage it properly. There are two varieties of it 
in cultivation, the best of which is known in the trade as biloba major 
(Hunts variety) ; and I would advise persons commencing its culture 
to procure that kind in preference to the others, for its blooms are larger 
and produced more freely under similar treatment; both, however, are 
beautiful plants, well deserving a place in every collection. 
In commencing the culture of this plant, procure nice young specimens 
from the nursery now ready for starting, for the earlier this month 
the plants are placed in growing circumstances the better chance there 
will be of getting them to make satisfactory progress during the season; 
and, in selecting young plants, choose such as have a clean healthy 
appearance, and are strong and stocky and not overpotted. As soon as 
the plants can be procured, they should be repotted and placed in an 
intermediate house where a temperature of from 50° to 60° is main¬ 
tained, placing them near the glass and encouraging growth; giving air 
on the sheltered side of the house on every favo,urable opportunity, but 
avoid ventilating so as to cause dry cold currents. As they progress, 
attend to stopping the stronger shoots and tying out the branches as 
may be necessary to secure a compact regular growth. Plants which 
do well will be ready for a second shift by the end of June or early in 
July, and they should be afforded this as soon as they may be found to 
require it. If all goes well, the plants will have taken to their second 
shift by the middle of August, and will then be nice half specimens. 
To prepare these to stand a damp and sunless winter must now be 
attended to. They should be gradually exposed to a free circulation of 
air, removing them to a cool dry house for a week, and then placing 
them out of doors for a fortnight or three weeks, which will ripen and 
harden the wood and render them much less liable to suffer from damp 
during the winter; while out of doors they must be laid on their sides 
if heavy rains occur, and be carefully watched, so as to guard against the 
soil getting saturated, and, if wet weather should set in, the plants 
had better be placed under glass, allowing them all the air possible. 
During winter they should be placed in a cool house where the tempera¬ 
ture will not exceed 40°, keeping them near the glass and giving air 
whenever the weather will permit; but this should not be done so as 
to cause currents of cold air to rush through the plants. Except on very 
mild days air should be given on the sheltered side of the house only; 
drip, too, must not be allowed to fall on the plants. If, during damp 
weather, the foliage shows any teniency to fog off, a little fire-heat 
should be applied, giving air at the same time to dry the leaves. 
Treat the plants the second season exactly as ha^ just been recom¬ 
mended, taking care to stop any over luxuriant shoots, and to put them 
nicely into form before starting into growth in March. By the end of 
the second season they will be fair-sized specimens, and should be 
placed out of doors early in August; for, unless the young wood is 
ripened, there will be little chance of their blooming. In my opinion, 
