THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
335 
August 28 .] 
blesome is a white-haired scale insect. Washing first 
with soap and water, and gum-water, and afterwards, in 
the course of twenty-four hours, with warm water, at a 
temperature not above 100°, will be found the most 
cleanly, if not decidedly the most effectual remedy. I 
have mentioned the temperature above, because, though 
I have cleared many plants of insects by dashing water 
against them at 130° and 140°, one experiment, at least, 
seemed to tell me but too well that the Hoveas would 
not endure it. R. Fish. 
HOTHOUSE DEPARTMENT. 
EXOTIC STOVE PLANTS. 
Lagerstecemia indica (Indian L.); East Indies.— 
In the human mind there is planted, and no doubt for 
wise purposes, an eager appetite for novelty. Some¬ 
thing new is sure to command attention, and create a 
desire to possess it; and this applies to plants as well 
as to other things. But this passion may be carried too 
far. Wc may wish to have, and cultivate with care, 
every new or lately discovered plant, and such wishes 
may be laudably gratified, provided old and deserving 
plants are not neglected, badly treated, or, perhaps, not 
grown at all. These few remarks were suggested to our 
mind by seeing lately a fine, well-grown, and freely- 
bloomed plant of Lagerstroemia indica. It was exhibited 
at the Leeds Horticultural Exhibition, by Mr. L. Barker, 
gardener to W. Smith, Esq., of Roundhay, near Leeds. 
It was five feet high, and four feet through, and had 
numerous panicles of its beautiful rosy pink blossoms. 
This is an old inhabitant of our stoves, but it is seldom 
seen in such beauty as the above specimen exhibited. 
We are inclined, as far as lays in our power, to rescue 
tins deserving-to-be-grown plant from neglect, and shall, 
therefore, devote this week’s paper to its culture. 
Though a native of India, it is by no means difficult to 
grow; the only thing wanted is patience. It requires 
to be a somewhat stunted and old plant before it flowers 
freely and annually. 
Propagation. By Cuttings. —The young shoots make 
the best, because they root the readiest. The smaller 
they are the better. Choose the tops of the weak side 
shoots rather than the strong ones; these latter being 
apt to damp off. Plant them in sand, under a bell- 
glass, in beat, watering with a fine rosed watering-pot 
when necessary; that is, when the sand is dry. Keep 
the glass off for an hour after watering, to give time for 
the leaves and the surface of the sand to dry partially. 
To prevent them from suffering from excess of light, do 
this watering early in the morning or late in the evening, 
i Shade from bright sun, and, as soon as growth is per- 
! ceived, give a little fresh air to the cuttings by propping 
up the bell-glass; and as soon as it is pretty certain 
that roots are formed, let the glasses be left off all night, 
I and replaced every morning, till the cuttings are able to 
bear full exposure; then pot them off immediately. 
And here we will give a general rule which applies to all 
kinds of cuttings. Let them he potted off always as soon 
• as roots are formed. The reasons for this are evident 
enough. There is not much support in fine white sand ; 
the ends of the roots are apt to perish if left too long in 
it; and lastly, they, if left too long, become so matted 
\ together, that considerable injury accrues in separating 
them ; therefore , pot oil' early into small pots, and place 
them for a short time uhder hand-glasses till they are 
fairly established 
Soil. —These plants are of a woody character, and, in 
cousequence, thrive best in a rather strong soil. The 
following compost will suit them: — Good firm loam 
three parts, sandy peat one part, leaf-mould one part, 
and a very small portion of sand; mix thoroughly and 
I use it moderately dry. 
Summer Culture. —Supposing a young plant is to be 
grown on, and has passed through the winter in a 5-inch 
pot, early in March repot it into a size larger pot, rub¬ 
bing off a considerable portion of the old ball, drain the 
fresh pot moderately, well cover the drainage with a 
thin layer of moss, and then a sufficiency of the compost 
to raise the ball of the plant level with the rim of the 
pot; fill round the ball with more compost, shaking it 
down occasionally as the piocess goes on; this will 
cause the ball to sink a little lower than the rim of the 
pot, which will give room to cover it neatly without 
burying it too deep. Shorten in the shoots, to cause 
the plant to break forth more branches, and thereby 
become more compact and bushy. Give a gentle 
watering, and place them in a heat of 72° by day, and 
05° by night. Syringe frequently to keep the leaves 
clear of dust, and to prevent that destructive insect, the 
red spider, from annoying them. In these pots they 
may be permitted to remain till the middle of June, 
when they must have another repotting and topping. 
They will, it is probable, have made a considerable 
number of shoots, and most likely will be tail-grown 
plants. In such a case they must have some sticks, six 
or nine inches long, placed all round the pot, and point¬ 
ing outwards; to these tie each shoot, but be careful in 
doing it, for the shoots are soon broke or slipped off the 
main stem. Nip off the tops once more, which will 
give a sufficient number of shoots to form a handsome 
plant. In July, place them in a pit without any heat, 
attending to them duly with water and air. In this 
position they will grow stout and keep clear of the red 
spider—an important point to be aimed at. 
Winter Culture. —Towards the end of September they 
will begin to lose their leaves, and should then have a 
much less supply of water, the great object being to put 
them into a complete state of rest by the end of October. 
They should then be completely without leaves, with 
brown, stout, well-ripened wood; and every care must be 
taken to keep them so till the middle of February. At 
that season prune in all the strong shoots to five or six 
eyes, and cut clean away the small ones. Give them a 
shift into a size larger pot, and follow the same process 
through the succeeding season as the previous one. The 
essentials of this mode of culture are, first, to attain a 
complete state of rest; and, secondly, to confine the 
plant in rather small pots. These two points combined 
will cause the plauts to flower sooner and much more 
freely; though they may, even with all this care, he 
three or four years old before they flower. There is 
another species, named L. regina, equally, but not more 
handsome than the one we have written upon above. 
The same culture suits it in every point. 
T. Appleby. 
FLORISTS' FLOWERS. 
MR. GLENNY ON FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
A Seedling Pansy (IF. T. of M). —Very pale straw- 
colour or primrose, too thin and washy for showing; 
we have hundreds like it to reject week after week. The 
petals must be thick, and the colour or shade pure, 
whatever it may be. The texture is poor and papery. 
Three Pansies sent in cotton, besides the moisture 
being entirely absorbed, were so completely enveloped 
in the lint which adhered to them, that it was with great 
difficulty they were cleared. The eyes run completely 
into the border, and render them worthless. The 
smallest may come without doing so, but it is not worth 
anything, so many are superior in the same way. 
Porxulaccas. —Now very brilliant scarlet and purple. 
The yellow is no advance on the old Aurea, nor so good 
as we have seen it. 
Antirrhinums. —Not one worth growing; size is 
