October 9. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
23 
blight sunshine or not, the pots must be, either by the 
sides of a pit by being plunged, or by giving them 
double pots. If placed out-of-doors, replace them under 
protection by the first or second week in October, for 
although a little frost does not greatly hurt them iu 
appearance, it is sure to show its effects in unhealthiness 
during the winter. 
Insects. —The most troublesome are red spider and 
white scale, and these must be got rid of by means 
referred to the other week, viz., vapour from sulphur 
and washings. 
Gompholobium (from gomphos, a club, and lobos, a pod), 
is another very interesting genus of podded, pea-flowered 
plants, producing, chiefly, yellow blossoms, and doing 
so when the plant is from nine inches to two feet-and-a- 
half in height. Versicolor has red and yellow flowers; 
and there are more than two dozen in The Cottage Gar¬ 
deners’ Dictionary, all of which, no doubt, are interest¬ 
ing where room can be given them; but in limited space, 
and where the genus must only have one commemorative 
species, I would be inclined, all things considered, to 
select the old grandiflora for free growth and free flower¬ 
ing. A good specimen may range from a foot-and-a-half 
to two feet-and-a-half in height. 
Propagation, Soil, da. —Exactly the same as for the 
Gastrolobium, only it would conduce more to success to 
have a little broken freestone mixed up with the com¬ 
post, in addition to the other things specified; and even 
more care as to stagnant water must be exercised. True, 
two parts of peat and hardly one of loam will grow them 
well, but the other materials will render less care neces¬ 
sary, and will constitute a safety-valve if you cannot 
depend entirely on the wielder of the water-can. 
Oxylobium ( oxys , sharp, owing to the points of the 
pods).—Another family of allied, podded, pea-blossomed 
plants with yellow flowers, blooming freely, and, like the 
others, early in spring and summer, when from a foot- 
and-a-half to two feet-and-a-half high. Arborescens may 
bo considered an exception, as it may be grown from 
four to seven feet in height, and, between these extremes, 
is a beautiful object, with its long, narrow leaves, and 
clusters of yellow flowers around the base of the leaves, 
produced something near to wliorl-fashion along the 
young shoots. In point of colour, obtusifoliurn has 
scarlet flowers ; retusum, orange; and pultencca, dark- 
orange. The others, such as cordifolium, ettipticum, &c., 
differ chiefly in the foliage. Were two selected from 
all we have seen, we would choose arborescens and 
obtusifoliurn. 
Propagation and Treatment —same as for the above. 
Platylobtum (platys, broad, and lobos, a pod), is ano¬ 
ther allied family with pea-flowers and broad pods, and 
distinguished chiefly by the flowers being a bright orange. 
The species bloom freely when from eighteen inches to 
four feet-and-a-half in height. After that size disease 
and decay may be looked for. Murrayanum and obtusan- 
gulum have a little red, and the orange is not so deep. 
As for the others —formosum, ovatum, triangulare, and 
parvifolium —the name almost furnishes the distinction. 
The flowers of formosum arc also a little tinged with red; 
and where only one could be grown, that should furnish 
our type of the genus. 
Propagation and Culture. —The same as the first 
genus, only cuttings are longer and more difficult in the 
striking; more fibry peat and pounded sandstone, or 
crocks, must be used, and still more care exercised in 
watering at all times, and keeping the pots in summer, 
if out-of-doors or in the house, from the direct action of 
a bright sun. 
Plagiolobium ( plagios , oblique, or twisted, from the 
appearance of the pods).—This is a beautiful genus, and 
a striking contrast to those we have already mentioned, 
owing to their beautiful bluish-purple flowers. In some 
catalogues the species will be found arranged under 
Korea, which beautiful genus it much resembles. There 
are only two species, ilicifolium (holly-leaved), and Cho- 
rozemafolium (Chorozema-leaved). Roth are interest¬ 
ing, and, would we could say, most easily cultivated. 
When the Korea and Chorozerna are mastered, however, 
then these too will succeed. The main features of pro¬ 
pagation arc similar to the above, but the wood of the 
cuttings must scarcely be half ripe, and if taken off at 
the end of April or the beginning of May, after being 
kept in a close frame for ten days, they may receive a 
slight bottom-heat. The soil should be about the follow¬ 
ing :—Three parts fibry peat, one of fibry loam, and two 
parts combined of broken charcoal, freestone, crocks, 
and silver-sand, less or more of each as may be conve¬ 
nient ; the great tiling is porousness of soil, covered with 
finer on the surface, care in watering, and protection to 
the pot from sun in summer. 
• Podolobium (from pous, a foot, and lobos, because the 
longisli footstalk enters within the calyx of the pod). 
This is the last genus I shall mention, which produces 
its yellow flowers freely when from one to three feet in 
height, and, like all the others I have alluded to, blooms 
from early spring to the end of summer. Trilobatum, 
from its fine, long-pointed, tlirec-lobed, leathery leaves, 
and the abundance of bloom on its twiggy shoots, 1 
would prefer to all the others, though all are interesting. 
Trilobatum has, also, frequently a little scarlet along j 
with the yellow. 
General Management. —With the exception of making 
the cuttings when a little younger, they require the 
same treatment, and the same cautions, as given above 
for Gastrolobium. 
One feature more: before coming into bloom, and 
after blooming, when growing, frequent, but not heavy, 
syringings will be of much benefit, in the forenoon in 
spring, and towards evening in summer and early autumn. 
Taken altogether, the above would form a very inter¬ 
esting group where proper attention can be given them; 
without it, they will soon pine and die. I dwelt at some 
length on giving air not long ago, and that must be 
thought about in the treatment of these plants. So far 
as I have learned, the group selected are found only in 
the confines and neighbourhood of New Holland. 
R. Fish. 
HOTHOUSE DEPAETMENT. 
EXOTIC ORCHIDACE2E. 
plants that thrive well in pots —(Continued from 
page 400). 
Sobralia decora (Neat S.); Rio Janiero. Flowers | 
white, with a tinge of pink on the edges. As its name j 
imports, this is a neat, pretty species, but very fuga- | 
cious, the bloom lasting only one day; but several 
flowers appear in succession from the same spathe, 
especially if the old flowers are drawn gently away as j 
soon as they fade. Desirable. 21s. 
S. liliastrum (Lily-like S.); Guatemala. Flowers 
very large, pure white, with a yellowish throat. The 
bloom of this fine species has not been seen yet in per¬ 
fection in this country, indeed, the plants are very rare. 
Messrs. Rollisson exhibited a plant this summer, named 
at Chiswick, S. liliastrum alba, it was handsome, 
and worth cultivation. The original species is finely 
figured in Mr. Batemen’s splendid work on the “ Orchi- 
daceas of South America.” It is not on sale, that we are 
aware of. 
S. macrantha (Large - flowered S.); Guatemala. 
Flowers crimson purple, with a white throat; they are, 
probably, the largest flowers of the whole tribe of 
orchids. There are several varieties; but the variations 
are very slight, relating chiefly to the depth of colour, or 
the height they grow, all of which may be dependent, 
in a measure, upon cultivation, exposure to light, &c. 
