i5S 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
is a favourite ]dant with exhibitors of collections of stove 
plants. It lias a good habit, neat foliage, and beautiful 
large rose-coloured flowers. 3s. Gd. 
E. Franciscea (Francis’s E.); East Indies.—A plant 
not half so well known as it deserves to be. We saw it 
very lately for the first time in flower, in the stove at 
Syon House, where, under the care of the excellent gar¬ 
dener, Mr. Iveson, it was blooming profusely. The 
flowers are produced on short stems, in umbels of six or 
eight flowers each. They are of a purplisli-red colour, 
rather larger than a sliilling, and more open than any 
other species of Echites. The foliage is of dark green, 
and thickly produced on the twining shoots, os. 
E. nobtus (Noble E.); East Indies.—A half slmfbby, 
half climbing plant, with slender stems and handsome 
opposite leaves. The flowers are produced at the end of 
each shoot in short racemes. They are of a pleasing 
pink colour, rather cup-shaped, and are of long con¬ 
tinuance, the lowest buds opening first, and as they fade 
others come forwards, so that before the whole raceme 
has bloomed, a considerable time elapses. The plant 
consists of a large root-stock or bulb, winch increases in 
size every year. Messrs. Veiteh have imported these 
root-stocks as large as a child’s head. From this root- 
stock, when so large, several shoots spring forth, and 
each shoot produces a head or spike of blossoms. In 
that state the plants form noble objects. In winter, 
during the season of rest, the plants lose then - leaves, and 
should be kept partially dry and cool. The shoots often 
become woody, and do not then die. These shoots, when 
the season of growth recommences, will send forth several 
shoots each. These ought to be encouraged to grow, as 
each may produce a spike of flowers, hut it is not ad¬ 
visable to allow the whole to remain. Two or tl iree will 
be as many as will produce bloom, and the rest, when 
wo or three inches long, make excellent cuttings. 5s. 
E. splendens (Shining E.); East Indies.—The bloom 
of tins species is the finest of the whole race, frequently 
measuring five inches across; it is salver-shaped, and of 
a delicate pink colour. This colour may be much 
heightened by being close to the glass, and fully exposed 
to the light. The leaves are of a light green, almost 
milky green, as large, nearly, as those of the common 
laurel, thin in textiu'e, with strong ribs or veins. This 
is, as well as E. erassinoda, a plant much valued and 
used by exhibitors, because when it is grown in a large 
pot and trained to a balloon-shaped trellis, it flowers 
abundantly; and by its large and eminently handsome 
flowers is very effective. It is also very suitable to plant 
out in a border of the stove, and train either up the rafters 
or to a chain lengthwise of the house, which allows a 
more free extension of the branches, and consequently a 
greater quantity of bloom. It well merits cultivation. 
3s. Gd. 
E. SUB ERECT a (Half-erect E.); Jamaica.—A yellow- 
flowered Echites, and of considerable beauty. It is a 
half climber, with bunches of yellow flowers produced 
when the plant is vigorous and healthy in considerable 
numbers, from between the handsome dark green leaves 
and the stem. The flowers have much the appearance 
ot Allamandu cathartica, but the plant is not scrambling 
like that species. The colour is a bright orange yellow. 
3s. Gd. 
E. rosa campestris (Rosy-field E.); East Indies.— A 
low climber with beautiful rose-coloured large flowers. It 
is deciduous, that is, loses its leaves in whiter; rather 
difficult to grow. 5s. 
Culture. —These plants, like most other inhabitants of 
the stove, thrive better, and flower more freely, if they 
have a period ot rest. This can be best attained dming 
the dark days of winter. As the year declines in the 
autumn, reduce gradually the quantity of water, especially 
to E. erassinoda, E. splendens, E. nobilis, and E. rosa 
campestris, because these species have, as mentioned 
[December 5; 
above, a root-stock which contains a sufficiency of sap in 
itself to preserve the principle of life through the period j 
of rest. The other species must have a sufficiency of j 
water to keep the leaves fresh, even through the winter, i 
The soil they thrive best in, is a compost of sandy turfy | 
peat three parts, loam one part, and leaf mould or very | 
rotten dung one part; add as much sharp silver sand as j 
will give the whole a sandy character. Mix thoroughly 
with the hand previously to using. The best time to pot 
is in early spring. Turn the plants out of the pots and 
carefully reduce the old ball without injuring the roots; 
use clean pots and plenty of drainage. The pots should 
be large in proportion to the plants, to encourage them 
to grow freely. As soon as the potting is finished give a 
gentle watering, and, if convenient, plunge the pots in a 
gentle heated tan-bed. If tlie trellises are out ot order, 
or likely to be too small, now is a good time to renew or 
enlarge them. They may be made either of willows or 
split laths, in the manner described in a late number, 
when giving directions for the culture of Gloriosa su- 
perba. They may be formed still better with wire, which 
should be well painted. Any wire-worker will easily un¬ 
derstand the kind of trellis required, if the cultivator 
describes the kind his taste may dictate. The one we 
prefer is what is commonly called balloon-shaped, 
with an open circular ornament at top, rising a little 
above the main body of tlie trellis, so as to form a kind 
of crown to it. This trellis, when well covered with the 
creepers, looks handsome, and shows off the flowers to 
great advantage. /The weak growers, such as E. nobilis 
and E. rosa campestris, require but a small trellis, or 
even none at all, except a few upright sticks to tie the 
branches to as they shoot up. They seldom exceed three 
feet in height. In spring and summer these plants 
require constant attention to keep them neatly tied in, 
and moderately watered. They never require flooding, 
because their roots are extremely delicate, and too much 
water is apt to canker them, and then the plants become 
sickly, and in that state are more liable to the attacks of 
insects, such as the mealy bug, red spider, brown scab, 
and green fly. The latter will attack them even when in 
perfect health, and they must be destroyed and kept 
under by frequent smokings with tobacco. The red 
spider, and all the rest of insect enemies, must be got rid 
of, and there is no really effectual means like washing 
them off with a sponge. Though tedious, this method is 
sure, and not only not injurious, but actually beneficial 
to the plants. The syringe may bo used frequently with 
useful results, only keep the flowers from being wetted 
when fully expanded. The flowering season extends 
over the months of May, June, and July, but it may be 
prolonged two months later, by having a succession of 
plants to bring into heat as the first section lose their 
bloom ; or, if necessary, the whole may be kept back to 
suit any particular season that their flowers may be re¬ 
quired for. 
Propagation. —The whole of these plants may be pro¬ 
pagated by •cuttings of the young wood, but their in¬ 
crease is difficult and uncertain; nurserymen with 
skilful hands, a good propagating house, and all the 
proper means to boot, are not always successful. We 
shall try to describe the best method, and the means 
necessary, so that our gardening and amateur friends 
may, with some prospect of success, try to increase their 
stock and preserve each kind, should their original 
plants sicken and die. First procure a clear white bell- 
glass or two, some piu - e silver sand, new pots that will 
just allow tlie bell-glasses to fit within them, some of 
the compost above described for the plants of this family, 
and some broken potsherds of different sizes, but qiute 
clean. Cover the hole at the bottom of the pot with a 
large piece of broken potsherd, laid hollow, to allow the 
five escape of the superfluous water; lay upon it some 
smaller pieces of the same, and upon them an inch thick 
