39^ 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
Febp.uaey 2(). 
of easy cultivation, with stiffisb, reddish leaves close to 
the surface of the soil,'and producing abundantly flower- 
stalks with creamy-white little flowers, forming no bad 
substitute or companion for the Lily of the \'alley. 
Propagated by divison of the roots. The main points 
of culture are thorough drainage, rich peat, a little dried 
leaf-mould, and a little fibry loam, kei^t open and porous 
with pieces of charcoal and half-decayed wood. Tem¬ 
perature in winter from 55° to 05°. It should receive less 
water by the end of October, wdiich will cause the flower- 
stalks to rise freely during the following months. 
Gesnera elongata. —This does well either in a warm 
greenhouse or in a coolish stove at this season. If too 
hot the plant will be drawn. Propagated by cuttings; 
grown in peat and loam. AVhen done flowering, ])rune 
back freely to the base of the shoots; allow it to remain 
cool and dryish for some time afterwards. When break¬ 
ing freely give it a little water. When the young shoots 
are one or two inches in length, shake away a little of 
the old soil, and repot, and keep it close and warm until 
growth and fresh roots are freely progressing; then give 
more air, and by June a cold pit, which may be kept close 
at first, and more air given afterwards, will just be the 
place for it until the end of September, when it should 
be housed. 
; Eranciscea calycina —large, purple llow'crs, with light 
centi’e; treatment similar to that spoken of for nnijiora 
and latifolia, though, perhaps, a little more tender. In 
a late number, a correspondent alluded to Hojieanu, &c., 
as greenhouse plants, confirmatory thus of similar state¬ 
ments made long ago; but if the greenhouse is kept only 
a little above 45° in winter the plants become deciduous. 
HlMANTOiniYLLUM, Oli ImATORHYLLUM MINIATUM.- 
Under this name there is a nice plant in flower at iMr. 
Yeitch’s in a cool house. The flower a bufl'-orange, 
standing boldly up instead of hanging down like a Giivia, 
to which the genus is a next-door neighbour, if not an 
elbow friend. The leaves, in consistence and form, 
being between the Clivia nohills and the Hippeaslruni 
aulicum, which latter will be in bloom in many places. 
Rogeria cordata. —A neat, shrubby plant, producing 
corymbs of flowers at the points of the shoots, in tlie 
way of a Laurustinus. Grows freely in peat and loam, 
and requires, as far as yet known to us, common stove- 
treatment, and is desirable, from blooming in a dwarf, 
compact shape. 
Riiyncospermum .jASJiixoinES. — An intermediate 
house suits this best, one of the sweetest importations 
from China. In a stove, not very hot, it will now be¬ 
coming into bloom. In a greenhouse, averaging 45°, it 
will not bloom for a month or six weeks to come. It 
grows well in peat and loam well drained; sliould be 
pruned and cleaned when done flowering; and kept close, 
and in a moist atmosphere afterwards ; be placed in a 
cold pit in June, out-of-doors in August and September, 
and housed by tbe beginning of October. 
GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 
Azaleas. —There have been many complaints of the 
buds instead of flowering turning brown and falling 
off. Much of this arises from the buds not being 
sufficiently ripened, and much, also, from subjecting the 
plants to sudden changes of temperature, such as mov; 
ing them from a temperature of 40° into one of 05“, 
or even higher. Now, all this should be done gradually. 
Suppose you take a few plants to a forcing-pit, or stove- 
house, they should be ])laced at one end, air left on 
there, and the plants be frequently syringed, so that the 
temperature lor a few days sliall not greatly exceed that 
they enjoyed in their winter quarters. If the heat is 
thus raised gradually, there will be sure to be a pvo- 
; fusion of bloom if the luids were properly matured. 
{ Camellias,—'J' hese will now be coming in well. I 
I only wish tq give this caution—A little cool mainu'o- 
water, such as that made from old cow-dung, will cause 
the bloom to come large and fine; but too much feeding, 
or giving it in a rank state from fresh dung, will be apt 
to mar tbe colour of the more delicate flowers. It is 
safest to use such manure-water weak and often. 
Br.ACHYSEMA LATIFOLIUM, VILLOSUM, and L'NDULATUM.— 
The first has scarlet, the second crimson, and the third 
greenish-yellow flowers. The first is best known. In a 
cool greenhouse it will not flower until next month. If 
kept at all warm, and it rather likes from 45° to 55° in 
winter, it will bloom in February and March, and 
onwards. It thrives best in fibry-peat, with a little 
fibry-loam, increasing the loam as the plants get older. 
This makes an elegant trellis climber, propagated by 
half-ripened, shoi't, young shoots, under a bell-glass, in 
sand, and in a mild bottom-heat in summer, and by 
seeds, sown in a hot-bed, in spring. A cold pit, from 
which the glass is removed after August, and plenty of 
air, given previously, w'ould suit it well in summer; 
housing it in October. 
Roronja pinnata. —The treatment of this genus has 
lately been given. All Boronias are very shy of anything 
in the shape of stagnant moisture, and the same may 
be said of the Bracliyscma. 
Cytisus FiLiPES. —Few things are more interesting 
than this thread-stemmed plant loaded with its pure white 
blossoms. Being a native of Teneriffe, it will not stand 
much rough or,extra-cold treatment. It is propagated by 
cuttings of small side-shoots, in sand, under a bell-glass, 
in May, or by grafting on liardier and commoner kinds. 
Grows in fibry-loam and peat, and requires an average 
temperature, in winter, from 38° to 45“. 
Epacris. —It would require a page to mention the 
names of these that may now be in bloom. As aheady 
detailed in this work, though there is much difficulty in 
managing many Heaths in a house containing a mixed 
collection, these Ejracrises, the Australian Heaths, thrive 
well under such circumstances, being never subject to 
mildew, so far as I have seen, though, under similar 
circumstances. Heaths would be ruined by it. After 
they have done flowering, and are pruned freely back 
near to the base of their young shoots, and are allowed 
to rest for a week or two, it is scarcely possible to give 
too much excitement to the growing principle after¬ 
wards, by keeping them in a close place in the green¬ 
house, or placing them in a forcing-house or pit. The 
next thing is to see that the growth thus made is well 
matured by exposure to sun and air in August and 
September, and then to house safely before the end of 
October. Like all matters in which the division of 
labour principle is at full stretch, no amateur, or 
gardener either, who has many matters demanding his 
attention, can raise these jflants by cuttings, at the price 
they are sold at in commercial establishments. 
Lily of the Valley. —I introduce this again just to 
chronicle a dodge of my neighbour, Mr. Fraser, who is 
generally extra-successful with this indisp'ensable, 
wherever young ladies and their refined tastes must be 
consulted. In filling the pots from the roots and buds 
taken from the open border, he submits every bud to a 
slight squeeze between his thumb and linger, and, by 
the hardness or softness, at once satisfies himself 
whether the bud contains flow^ers or not. By this 
means it is very rare that ever he has such a thing as a 
blind shoot. When potted, the pots are generally 
placed in a shady place, in something like greenliouse 
temperature, for some time before they are suljected to 
forcing-heat. 
Selago dirtans, with white flowers, and S. Gillti, 
with pale-rose flowers, are dwarf, evergreen shruhs, with 
small foliage, natives of South Africa, easily jiropagnted 
by cuttings, growing freely in sandy loam ; thriving out- 
of-doors after June; and requiring an average of 40“ at 
night in winter. 
