August 20.] THE COTIAG1 
HOTHOUSE DEPARTMENT. 
STOVE PLANTS. 
BromeltacejE. —This is a numerous tribe of orna¬ 
mental plants, numbers of which are now in cultivation. 
It contains also the well-known and highly esteemed 
fruit, the Pine-apple. This will, to our less informed 
readers, give an idea what kind of plants belong to the 
Natural Order Bromeliacese. And here we would just 
remark the grand advantage a very moderate knowledge 
of the natural system of arrangement of plants has over 
any artificial one whatever. The moment any one well- 
known plant is mentioned as belonging to a certain na¬ 
tural order, the mind takes cognizance ot the whole tribe, 
as in the instance now mentioned. The Ananassa or 
Pine-apple belongs to Bromeliacete; now, whenever any 
of our readers shall see a plant similar to a Pine-apple 
plant, in its mode of growth and habit, and with similar 
flowers produced out of the centre of the plant, they may 
be pretty sure it belongs to the same group of plants. 
We have chosen this tribe as the subject of our weekly 
paper, in consequence of having seen lately some very 
fine species in flower, and we shall treat it in such a 
way as will, we hope, be useful and instructive to our 
amateur friends. 
These plants are mostly found growing in the hottest 
parts of the world, and consequently require artificial 
heat in this our cold climate. Some of them are located 
upon the branches of trees, growing amongst the dead 
leaves, twigs, and moss collected in some hollow or fork 
of the branch. These may bo grown like orchids, upon 
blocks of wood, or even will thrive and flower well it a 
ball of moss be tied round the roots, and the plants be 
hung up to the glass, similar to the orchid tribes. We 
have some growing in this way, with the roots upper¬ 
most, and the plant underneath, just reversing the way 
plants generally grow; and they appear to thrive just as 
well as their allies who are in the upright state. But 
by far the greater number of these plants are found upon 
the ground at the edges of thickets, or even in the 
deepest jungle; and we must treat them accordingly. 
Achmea fulgens (Fulgent or Glowing Achmea).— A. 
fulgens discolor (dark coloured leaved ditto). A plant 
growing about a foot find a half high. The flower stem 
springs from the centre, and is of the most intense scarlet. 
The calyx is also scarlet of a deeper shade, approaching 
crimson, and the petals are of the brightest blue; these 
soon fade, but the calyxes and the bright glowing 
stem continue in beauty for months. The leaves are 
pale green, a foot long, and three inches broad. Hie 
whole plant forms a kind of cup, which holds water that 
does not injure the plant, unless it becomes foul, to 
prevent which it will be necessary to empty the water 
out, by reversing the plant every three or four days. 
The water accumulates from the syringing of the house 
and from the deposit of dews on the leaves. In their 
native wildernesses this and similar plants catch the heavy 
night dew by means of their spreading, liollowish leaves, 
conducting it, condensed into water, to the centre of the 
plant, and serves frequently for quenching the thirst ol 
the wanderer amongst the regions where these plants 
grow wild. 
I The soil Achmeas thrive best in is a compound of 
fibrous peat and rotten leaf mould in equal parts, with 
one sixth, or thereabouts, of good sound light loam added. 
l.i a young state, that is, during the first year, they must 
be rather underpotted. A flowering plant of that age will 
not require more th an a 5-inch pot. The roots are few and 
wiry at that age. After the plant has flowered for the 
first t'.me it dies ; that is, that part dies and sends up 
one 01 more (generally more) suckers. These suckers 
must hi encouraged if you wish to have a fine specimen 
with more than one flower stem. We have seen a 
specimen with six spikes upon it, but it is quite possible 
L GARDENER. • M1 
to grow one with sixty. All that will be required is to 
keep repotting as soon as the flowering season is over, 
and when the suckers have made some growth and 
become pretty well furnished with leaves to remove, by 
cutting down the old plants just low enough not to in¬ 
jure the rising young plants. In fact, the management 
'of these stocks or stools of plants, is something similar 
to what is called the Hamiltonian system of cultivating 
the Pine-apple. The best season lor potting young 
plants is the spring; for older ones, the best season is 
immediately after flowering. One point must be strictly 
attended to, and that is thorough good drainage. The 
reason of this is, evidently, that the plants being hall 
epiphytes—growing on branches of trees—the roots are 
never so excessively drenched with the moisture, espe¬ 
cially stagnant moisture. Like Cattleyas and Leelias, 
they require, if grown in pots, excessive drainage. (Ilie 
Pine-apple requires it too.) A few pieces of charcoal 
thrown in amongst the soil will be useful, in addition to 
the broken potsherds at the bottom. 
Propagation. —These plants are easily propagated by 
division, or by taking off the young suckers when three 
inches long, and placing them in heat under bell-glasses. 
They are apt to damp off unless great care is taken m 
wiping the glasses frequently, and by a vigorous heat 
inducing them to send forth roots quickly. As soon as 
the roots are perceived, pot them off and place them in 
a shady part of the house for a few days, till they begin 
to show fresh growth. They may then be removed into 
a more open situation and treated in the ordinary way, 
as described above. Sometimes seed is produced upon 
old established plants. As this is a very lovely desirable 
plant, and is yet comparatively scarce and dear, we re¬ 
commend such as possess it to try to save seed, orrathei 
to induce it to produce seed. Two or three years ago 
we had a batch of seedlings sent over from a nursery¬ 
man on the continent. They were exceedingly small, 
but grew well, and several of them have flowered. lhey 
are all alike in the flower, but in the foliage considerably 
different: some approach near to the variety named 
discolor, having a shade of deep purple on the under 
side of the leaves; others are much lighter green. 
In one instance the flowers were evidently improved, 
but that plant was sold during my absence. It is evi¬ 
dent that these plants sport, and may be greatly im¬ 
proved, like most other plants having that propensity. 
We trust our friends that grow it, or may do so hereafter, 
will try to induce seed by impregnation, and thus help to 
forward the grand end and aim of all scientific florists 
the improvement of the various races of plants. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
Anemones (single) for early blooming, may now be 
planted advantageously in beds five inches apart every 
way, and in borders three or five roots in a patch, lie- 
pare beds for the best double varieties similar to those 
recommended for the Ranunculus. Keep seedlings quite 
clear of weeds, by plucking them up whilst in the seed- 
leaf. A genuine lover of flowers will soon learn to clis- 
tinsfuish. weeds, even in that state, from seedlings ol ns 
favourite flowers. It is far better to pluck up weeds at 
that age in every part of the garden, but more especia y 
out of the seed-beds, seed-pots, or pans of florists fioweis. 
If allowed to advance to a second or third stage of 
growth, the roots are then so numerous that they will 
bring up with them a portion of the soil, and, may be, 
some of the flowers just coming up at the same time. 
Perhaps a Prince of Wales, or a Duchess ot Sutherland, 
or some other equally high sounding name, may thus 
be unwittingly nipped in the bud, and prevented showing 
the raiser how very grateful his humble dependants aie, 
and how desirous to reward him for his pains, now un¬ 
happily frustrated, because the weeds were allowed to 
progress beyond the seed-leaf. 1 • Appleby. 
