462 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
Maech 25. 
FROM FORCING -PIT. 
Azaleas, all the best kinds; those in a cool greenhouse 
will be swelling their buds. Bulbs, as Hyacinths, 
Tulips, Jonquills, Narcissus ; the beautiful Nurcissus 
bulhocodium will bear with the assistance of a cold pit. 
Rhododendrons, Kaltnias, Lilacs, flowering Currants, 
Weigelui rosea, Deutzia scahcr and gracilis, Roses, Pinks, 
and varieties of the Amaryllis group, &c. 
Let it be clearly understood that such a list as the 
above could only be grown where the sjiace is ample 
and the means extensive. For a small stove—a Phaius, 
a few Regonias, and a few Justicias, (the Jlavicoma is 
invaluable, -at this season, for its yellow colour,) and a 
few Euphorbias, with Hippeastrums, and a few Ferns, 
would present a fine appearance. For a small green¬ 
house—a Cytisus, a Coronilla, two Acacias (arinata and 
grandis), along with Camellias, Epacris, Cinerarias, and 
some Dielytras, would make a fine show for this and the 
following month. 
According to custom, I will now make a few short 
remarks on plants that have not hitherto been noticed 
in this series of articles. 
Canaelna CAiiPANULATA AND I.A5VIOATA. —Thcse have 
received their generic name from being natives of the 
Canaries. The blooming period will depend upon the 
time of starting them into growth ; but they bloom most 
naturally about this period. They are very graceful, 
herbaceous. Campanula-like plants, with brownish-orange 
flowers, produced liberally from side-shoots. It is dif¬ 
ficult to propagate them, unless by division of the roots, 
or slipping off young shoots, just after growth has com¬ 
menced, and when two to three inches in length. When 
in bloom, at this period and following months, they will 
stand very well in the greenhouse. When the leaves 
have turned yellow, and the sterns are cut down, (they 
rise from three to six feet in height,) any cool place, 
with an average temperature of 45° will suit them; and 
if the pots stand on a dampish floor they will want 
little or no water until the shoots begin to push. Then, 
to get them to come kindly and strong, the heat of a 
mild hotbed, or a plant stove, will be relished by them, 
giving them abundance of light, and lowering the 
temperature as the plants come in bloom. What shift¬ 
ing they recprire should be given when the young shoots 
are two or three inches in length, shaking away a good 
portion of the old soil and adding fresh in a similar or 
larger sized pot. Fibry sandy-loam and turfy-peat will 
grow them well. The pots must he well drained. A 
fine plant always tells that thought and care have been 
e.xeraplified. 
Euphoebta puNicEA.—This plant, though of a more 
stubby, shrubby habit, may almost be regarded as a 
miniature of the Poinsettia pulclierima, the floral 
bracts at the points of the shoots being of the most 
dazzling crimson-scarlet. It has strong claims to at¬ 
tention, though destitute of the wreathed gracefulness 
of the Euphorbia jacquiniflora. Small shoots will strike 
freely in sandy, gravelly soil, in a smartish heat; but in 
all these Milk-worts the plant should be dry, almost 
to flagging, before the cuttings are removed. It is de¬ 
sirable to give this plant a permanent shrub-like cha¬ 
racter ; and, thei'efore, when young, the points of the 
shoots should be picked out when the plant is dry, to 
cause them to break into more shoots. These points 
must not be touched in a flowering plant, as it is there 
the flowers are produced. Sandy-loam, with nodules of 
broken bricks and pieces of lime-rubbish will grow it 
well. In summer, from May to October, it would thrive 
in a greenhouse; at other times it requires the tempera¬ 
ture of the j)lant-stove. The llamiltonia scabra, men¬ 
tioned in the list, is synonymous with Spermndictyon 
azureum, already noticed. 
Inga pulcheeeima. — The beauty of this Acacia- 
Mimosa-like plant, consists in the finely-divided foliage. 
and the brilliance of the loose balls of the long, leathery, 1 
crimson stamens. It is easily propagated by pieces of ; 
the young wood getting a little linn, or by short, stubby 
side-shoots, inserted in sand, under a bell-glass, and in a , 
sweet bottom-heat. It will grow- well in peat and loam ■ 
well-drained. The secrets, if any, of success are these:— * 
When the plant has done flowering prune back the 
shoots pretty freely, give little water until they break 
afresh. When several inches in length, shift, if necessary, \ 
use the syringe freely, and give what heat and moisture 
the plant will stand, 60° to 65° at night, and 70° to 85° ! 
during the day. By September, give all the light and ; 
air you can to ripen the young shoots; a cold pit would 
be a good place then. From the middle of October, to ; 
the time you wish to start the jilant, say February, a 
night temperature of 45° or so will do, and little water 
will be wanted. When supplied with increased heat 
and moisture, 55° to 05° at night, and 5° to 10° more 
during the day, the flower-buds w'ill swell and then ex¬ 
pand, when the plant should be kept a little cooler and 
drier. It is a pity the flowers do not last long, as the 
colour is very brilliant, and the appearance of the plant ' 
altogether very elegant. i 
Phaius geandieolius. — This used to be the Bletia ! 
TankervillcB, and the treatment has been given in these 
pages. Propagated like the generality of earth Orchids, 
by division of the roots and the strong pseudo bulbs. 
A large mass, in a huge pot, with a great number of stout 
flower-stems, with whitish-brown flowers, has a striking 
effect; but for small houses, pots from six to eight inches 
in diameter, containing one or two strong shoots, answer- 
better. The following is the outline for successful culture. 
When the flower-stems are removed allow' all the plants 
to rest for a week or so Then divide the roots, or repot, 
or merely top-dress, as seenrs convenient, as the same 
pot may do for a couple of years if desirable. The 
soil should be fibry-loam and peat, most of the former, 
and a good many hard nodules of cow-dupg mixed with 
it. If merely top-dressed, a good portion should be old 
cow-dung. A warm, growing place should now be given. 
If plunged in a little bottom-heat, all the better, and 
shading from bright sunshine will be required at first. 
As Autumn approaches, every ray of light should be ; 
given, and less water imparted, enough, however, to pre¬ 
vent any thing like flagging. As the days shorten, heat ’ 
and moisture must be lessened. In the winter months i 
the plants should be next to dry, and a temperature of 
46° at night will be high enough. Wlien, after January, ' 
February, and onwards, the plants are placed in heat, 
and moisture applied, the flower-stems will soon show, 
and then manure-w-aterings aud rich surface-dressings ! 
will give them vigour. A few plants come in w-ell now 
with Begonias, &c. 
Phaius Wallichii. —This very brilliant plant will 
bloom about the same time, if treated on the same 
principles, with a little variation in these matters:— , 
I. The soil should be rather more open, rough dried ■ 
pieces of leaf-mould about half decomposed, and some 
lumps of charcoal, with rather more peat. 2. The base 
of the pseudo-bulb should not be much below the rim 
of the pot. 3. The temperature in the rest period 
should seldom be below 50° iii winter. The flower-sterns 
are much stronger, the leaves much larger than graudi- 
folius, fewer flowers are produced on a stem, but they 
are larger and of a fine colour, the sepals being a 
brownish-yellow and orange, and the lip orange, tipped 
with pink. Altogether it is a fine thing, well wortliy a little 
attention, and, as yet, comparatively scai ce, as it does 
not throw up shoots so ti-eely as grandifolius. 1 have ' 
felt my fingers itching to have a coaxing about its roots 
for some time, though, after supplying every body that 
would have grandifolius, I have frequently sent lots to 
the rubbish heap. It will be long before any of Wal- i 
lichii finds its way there. ; 
