210 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
successful collector, Mr. Lobb. It flowered for the [ 
first time iu Europe in their hothouse last spring, and 
was exhibited, and received a large medal from the j 
London Horticultural Society. They have not, as yet, 
■ obtained a sufficient stock to distribute it to the public. 
Messrs. Henderson, of Pine Apple Place, possess 
auother species of Medinifla, of a dwarf habit, with 
smaller leaves, named M. radicans, but we know, as yet, 
nothing of its value as an ornamental plant, 
i Culture: Soil. —These plants being of a strong free 
growth, require a rich light soil. The compost we have 
found to suit them consists of two parts strong yellow 
loam, two parts good peat, and one part vegetable 
mould from decayed leaves, or the same quantity of 
! two-years-old decayed dung. Add a sufficiency of sand 
to make it open and light. Let the pots be well drained 
I with broken potsherds in the usual manner. 
Simmer Culture. —Pot in March into pots two sizes 
larger than that in which the plants had passed the 
| winter. If the plants arc young, they should have a : 
second potting in June. Old plants will not require 
this, as it might prevent them flowering the same year. 
When the plants make their first shoots, they should be : 
I stopped to make them bushy. As these plants are found 
on the sides of the mountains, they do not require the 
highest temperature of the Indian orchid house. A tern 
perature of 75° during summer by day, and G0 U by night, 
j will be quite sufficient. As they have large foliage, 
they will require a liberal supply of water during this J 
season. Frequent syringing over head will be of a ! 
great service previously to the bloom expanding; after 
that, it should be withheld. 
Winter Treatment. —As soon as the plants have done ; 
blooming, the quantity of water ought to be consider¬ 
ably lessened, and the heat moderated proportionably to 
00° by day, and 50° by night. This will induce rest 
from growth. 
Propagation l>\j Cuttings. — lake most plants, this 
tribe is best propagated from the young shoots. The 
; best time is in early spring. Take off the first-made 
' shoots, pare the bottom quite smooth, about one inch 
below the two leaves, and the cutting is ready for inser¬ 
tion. If a great increase is desired, and cuttings are 
scarce, pass the knife through the pair of leaves exactly 
in the centre of the shoot, and each leaf will then have 
a bud at the base, which, when roots are formed, will 
vegetate and make plants quite as well as the entire 
cutting. Put the cuttings into a pot well-drained, and 
filled with the compost to within an inch of the top; 
the remaining space iill up with pure white silver sand, 
water it gently, and then plant the cuttings round the 
edge of the pot, placing them so that the leaves will 
lean inwards, and thus not touch the bell-glass. Fit 
this within the pot, pressing it close into the sand so 
as to completely exclude the air. Plunge them in a 
warm bark-bed up to the rim, shade from bright sun¬ 
shine, and wipe the moisture off tlm glasses every day 
for the first fortnight. They will be rooted in a mouth 
or six weeks, and then the glasses should be taken off 
J every night to harden the plants to bear the full air and 
light. As soon as they are well-rooted, let them be 
potted into small pots singly, placing them under a 
hand-glass for a week or ten days, shading them till 
fresh roots are emitted, and then gradually inure them 
to bear the full light and air of the stove, and repot and 
grow on till they flower as directed above. 
JE scu yn a x t hus J av a x icus (Javanese IE.).— Calyx, 
tubular, edged with red; corolla, tubular, spreading 
limb flattened, and of a beautiful scarlet colour. The 
flowers spring from the axils of the leaves in pairs and 
threes; they arc very handsome, and of elegant habit. 
As its name imports, it is a native of Java, and was in¬ 
troduced by Messrs, llollison, of Tooting. It flowered 
in their stoves, grown against a trellis; and is certainly 
[January 2. 
equal to, if not better than, any other species yet intro¬ 
duced. 
Culture. —We have, in a former number, described the 
culture of the vEschynanthus, and must refer our readers 
to it, as the same methods answer equally for tin's species. 
Sinningia guttata (Spotted S.); Brazil.—A beautiful 
old plant, named in honour of W. Sinning, gardener to 
the University of Bonne. The flowers are cup-shaped, 
of a pure white ground, thickly dotted with crimson 
spots. The root is a fleshy bulb, from which, when 
large, spring several stems clothed at the bottom with 
large handsome leaves. The stems rise to the height of 
twelve inches, flowering abundantly, and lasting a long 
time in bloom, at which time few plants possess more 
beauty. We have written this week chiefly about new r 
plants, but we do not forget old favourites merely be¬ 
cause they are old. Such of our readers as do not 
possess this elegant flower, slioidd immediately procure 
it, that is, if they cultivate stove plants at all. It is by 
no means common, or, at least, not so much as it de¬ 
serves to be. 
Summer Culture. — Early in spring bring out the 
plants from their winter quarters, turn them out of the 
pots, and gently shake off all the old soil previously to 
re-potting. Let the following compost be prepared:— 
Light turfy loam, fibrous peat, and half-decayed oak or 
beech leaves, in equal parts. Mix them well together 
and add about one-eighth of river sand. Let it be 
moderately dry when using. Use pots in proportion to 
the size of the bulbs. One potting for the season will 
suffice. Drain well, and cover the bulbs half an inch 
deep. Place them in a gentle heat—00° will be suffi¬ 
cient, for too much heat at first will cause them to start 
weakly. Let them be as near the glass as possible—a 
shelf in the stove will be a good situation for them. 
Give but little water at first, but as the plants advance 
in growth increase the quantity, but be careful not to 
over-water them in the early stage of growth. When 
the leaves are fully grown syringe them every morning 
and evening till the flowers appear, and then only water 
at the roots. Large bulbs should be in eight or ten- 
inch wide pots, and will produce eight or nine stems of 
flowers. 
Winter Culture. —As soon as the bloom is over reduce 
the water considerably, so as to bring them gradually 
to a state of rest; then put them away into a place 
where they will be dry and free from frost. 
Propagation. —When the shoots appiear first there will 
often be more than are wanted; take them off, and 
insert them singly into small pots under hand glasses, 
in heat; they will soon strike, and should be hardened 
off. They will probably flower the first year. 
T. Appleby. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
The whole business of the florist at this season may j 
be described in one word— protection. We have re¬ 
peatedly mentioned the means to be used, and hope our j 
readers will have used them effectually. Every oppor- | 
tunity must be seized upon promptly to expose to the 
air in mild weather. T. Appleby. 
TILE KITCIIEN-GARDEN. 
I 
The principal operations to be performed at this j 
season have already been mentioned ; and should severe r 
frost set in, strict attention must be paid to every thing I 
of the small and tender kind, as well as all winter vege- ' 
tables, &c. In rough weather, when out-of-door work 
cannot be so well attended to, temporary protectors may 
be made of various kinds. Tallies should also be pre¬ 
pared and painted in readiness for the naming and 
