PASS1FLORA KERMESINA. 
62 
I 
Culture of the P. racemosa.— This fine species thrives well 
with us at Chatsworth, potted in a mixture of loam and peat, and 
placed in the orchidea stove, where it obtains plenty of heat and 
moisture. 
If cuttings be made of the firmest of the previous season’s wood , 
in May, and they be planted in pots well drained with potsherds, and 
filled with up sand, and afterwards placed in a temperature ot from 
70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, drying them occasionally to prevent their 
damping off, hut little difficulty will be found in striking them. These 
will make fine plants by autumn.. 
The greater part of this genus require the heat of the stove; the 
P. Quadrangularies, in particular, seldom does well except it be 
grown in the corner or side of a bark bed. Either, therefore, make 
a square partition with bricks or boards, one foot wide, and two feet 
deep, or make a box for the purpose, and plunge it on one side of the 
tan pit. Leave in this box or division several holes round the sides, 
for the egress of the roots; fill the box with good rich loam, and 
place in the plant. Every autumn, shorten the stems of the plant in 
a similar manner to cutting a vine ; that is, if the young shoots are 
found weak, shorten them to two or three eyes off the old wood, and 
the stronger ones proportionally. 
In February, just before the plant begins to grow again, raise it, 
if convenient, out of the box, trim its roots, and, after having put in a 
supply of new soil, replace it. If not convenient to raise it, take out 
so much of the old soil as can be got round the sides of the box, re¬ 
duce the ball one-third, and add a fresh supply of loam. Abundance 
of water is also requisite during the flowering season, or the fruit will 
set very shy, even with impregnation. Fruit are produced from the end 
of June till Christmas. This, in connexion with P. edulis, alata, ligu- 
laris, incarnata, maliformis, and lancifolia, and grown for their 
fruit in America, where they are known by the name of Granadillas, 
because the fruit bears a resemblance to the Granada, or Pomegranate. 
Passifloras are sometimes rather shy at setting their fruit; this 
may be remedied by impregnating with the pollen of other species, 
in preference to their own pollen. 
The Alata will grow under the floor of a hothouse, and in other 
situations where most of the stove species will not live ; only it is 
necessary to keep the roots quite moist. 
The racemosa will bear fruit, if impregnated with the pollen of 
alata , or other species, but shows no disposition to do so when con¬ 
fined to its own stamens. 
All the stove species require cutting in more or less every autumn. 
