238 
THE COTTAGE GAEEENER. 
Janijahy 1. 
night: in ftict, anytliincf short of injury he done to pre¬ 
vent mere lengtheninpf ot the shoots. 'J’liis treatment per¬ 
severed in lor from six to ei^lit weeks, and tlicn follow<'d 
with a higher temperature, and waterings in ])roportion, 
will generally cause the llowcr-huds to start slroug. 
As they approach the flowering ])eriod they will stand 
much longer if kept dry and in a temperature of from 
.■)0° to 00°. When done llowering and rested, they will 
he ready for pruning and growing in another year. 
T have already alluded to the danger of anything like 
condensed steam on tlie foliage, hut the great enemy 
to healthy growtli is G'rerii wliieh, it not arrested in 
time, hy tobacco-smoke, would soon spoil the finest 
.shoots, especially when young, h'l-equent syringings in 
an evening will help tokee]t them clean when growing. 
Propagation is best etl'ected hy taking off young 
shoots in April and May, with a heel clo.se to the old 
stem, when they are about thi'ee inches long, and in¬ 
serting them in sand, over sandy peat, and plunging 
the ]tot in a brisk bottom heat, and covering with a 
bell-glass, raisert up at nigbt to ]>revent damping. 
I tliink these minutim will exhaust the little matters 
connected with this genus. Like most of the Acanthaih, 
there must be considerable fresli growth, and then 
a rest before flowering, tliough this is so far modified 
by the state of the young wood before pruning back. 
For instance, I have had large bushes of Jiistioia 
carnea in tlower several times during the year, and 
therelbre could receive little or no intermediate summer 
rest. I have struck cuttings, and had them in flower, 
when, perhaps, fifteen or eighteen inches in heiglit, and 
where a stop was give^i to the mere growing ])i-itrciplo. 
From cuttings selected from harder, better-ripened 
shoots, it is an easy matter to get fine heads of bloom, 
when the spikes will be longer than the shoot aird pot 
together. The hardening and ripening of the shoots 
of the Aiihelaudra, before pruning back, has, therefore, 
no little influeuce on the well-flowering of the plant 
I afterwards. 
I ALLAMAND.\. 
I The same Subscriber says, “ Will you please give the 
: culture of the y^l//umunt?u.s-I have the and 
Auhletia, but cannot bloom them.” The treatment of 
these has often been given, and therefore much need 
not bo said, as something about them will be found in 
; almost every volume, yiiihletia J know nolbing at all 
; about; perhaps it is a synonyme for some one else.-- 
! ]\Iost of the others, such as Cathartica, grandiflorn, 
1 Paraenm, and Schoitii, are climbing plants, requiring 
' either the roof of a regular stove, or largish round 
trellises, arouml which to be trained or grown in pots. 
They will generally be found in ]iots, and thus grown 
I are great ornaments to jilants that command a fair 
i share of loftiness. 
Lisapjioiutment has been caused by these plants not 
I blooming young. They require to be strong, and rising 
three years before they bloom at all fi'cely. When thus 
young the treatment should also he different. After 
keeping them at from 50'° to fiO° in winter, and rather 
dryish, little ])ruuing back will be required when 
young. 
When the ])lants are several years old, and perhaps 
occupy a largo barrel-shajted trellis, and have filled a 
fifteen or eigliteen-inch ])ot with roots, then the young 
shoots should be cut back pretty freely, to promote 
buds and bardisb wood in the Sjiring, after the ]dant 
had obtained all the sun possible in autumn, and been 
kejit rather dry all the winter, and in a lower tempera¬ 
ture. A few days after being jiruned the plant should 
bo syringed with warmed water, and the temperature 
gradually increased to from 75° to 90° during the day, 
and ()5'^ to 70° at night. 1 f at this time the pot could be 
* It is a synon)'rae of A. cnthnvtica. — Kd. C. G. 
plunged in a temperature of 80° to 85° so much the ' 
lietter. If from this ]iruning too many shoots show, 
thin them out, and leave as many of the strongest as j 
there will be room to grow. If grown strong, they will 
begin to show bloom in two or throe months. Younger 
]ilants will require less jiruning. After resting in 
winter, 1 have sometimes removed some of the weaker 
shoots, and allowed the others to grow on, and they 
have bloomed pretty freely. 'J'be ])lants must be turned 
frequently round, and ex])osed to the sun, unless when 
it is very bright. Rich, fibry loam, wil.b a little ])eat 
suits them well, with manure waterings when growing. 
When a large ]dant is kejit long in the same pot the 
drainage should he examined, part of the surface-soil 
removed, and rich top-dressings given when fresh 
vigorous growth takes place in the spring. I 
AUainanda neriifoVta has quite a different habit, being ! 
of the bush form, and blooming in great profusion in 
plants a few inches in height, as well as in plants a 
yard in height and a yard in diameter. Flvery shoot 
that comes from a well-rijjened bud will ))roduce plenty | 
of bloom towards its jioint. Supposing, now, that < 
our correspondent lias a young plant some twelve or i 
eighteen inches in height, and with one or several j 
stems, and with no ap])earanco of bloom (it flowers j 
almost continually if plenty of beat is given), the best I 
tiling to do is to prejiare for next season’s camjiaign. | 
For this purpose give the plant little water, and reduce 
the tenqierature to from 47° to 50°, with a rise from 
sunshine. In February, March, or April, as it suits, 
jirune away part of the ])oints of the shoots; leave as 
many ends as you wish slioots to make a lutsh ; increase 
the temperature gradually to 05° and 70° at night, and 
75° to 85° by day ; ])ot, if necessary, w'hen the shoots are 
an inch or two long; water freely, using weak manure- 
water frequently, and there will be no want of flowers 
during the season. Loam and a little'peat will grow 
it well. K. Fish. 
NEW OR RARE PLANTS. 
Almeiiua nuBKA (The Red Almeidia).—A Brazilian 
plant of great beauty, but little known in cultivation, 
thougb introduced to Europe, by ]\Ir. Malloy, nurserv- 
man at Leige, four or five years ago I,eaves rather 
large, broad, lance-sbaped ; strongly, but wildly nerved; 
ralher recurved, and of a pleasing dark green colour. 
Flowers ratber large, and ])roduced in panicles at the 
ends of the shoots ; the colour a rich, deeji rose, or red. 
'I’lie season of blooming is Se])tembcr to October. It 
grows about four feet bigh, branching freelv, and is a 
remarkable lovely plant, worthy of general cultivation. 
It has flowered well in the Kew Gardens. i 
Culture .— As might be inferred from its native country, j 
this line idjjnt requires tbe jirotection of the stove, but 
is benefited greatly by being placed out-of-doors during 
the hottest months of tbe year. This placing stove- 
jilnnts out-of doors has the eflect of giving them a more 
robust habit, and, consequently, enables tliem thereby to 
flow'd- more IVeely and certainly. " i 
Soil .— 'The best soil forAlmeidiasis acompostof peat, j 
loam, and leaf-mould, in equal parts, wdth a liberal , 
addition of river-sand and charcoal, to keep the soil i 
porous and open. To induce the plant to grow- freely, ! 
]iot early in the spring, and, if convenient, ])lunge the 
pot in a bark bed, syringe freely overhead every even¬ 
ing, and su]>ply moisture in sufficient ijuantity at tbe 
root. By this liberal treatment the ])lant will jirogress 
in growth and health, and insects will be kept at bay. 
Propagation. —Jtis not difficult to propagate, if young, ; 
short side-shoots are taken off early in the spring, i 
planted in a small pot, in sand, pilunged in a hark bed, ' 
I and covered with a bell-glass resting upon the bark, j 
