242 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Janttatit 22,-1861. 
April, and then Introduce them for a late crop. The having 
them early, by introducing about Christmas or the new year, we 
consider would pay best if the roots are all right. In each case, 
the power of placing the Yines between two fronts of the house 
would be the best if it can be done. 
These matters disposed of, there will be no difficulty in culti¬ 
vating such stove plants as you name. 
The following we think would suit your purpose. For 
winter blooming:—Ardisia crenulata, Begonia fuchsioides, Epi- 
phyllum truncatum and varieties, Euphorbia jacquiniaffiora, Jus- 
ticia flavicoma and speciosa, Poinsettia pulckerrima. For 
spring :—Allamanda neriifolia, Centradenia rosea, Goldfussia 
anisophylla, Eranthemum pulchellum, Franciscea of sorts, Be¬ 
gonia nianicata, &c. For summer :—Begonias Ingramii, Pres- 
toniensis, cinnabarina, nitida, &c., for blooming ; and such 
kinds as Rex, Marshallii, maculata, argentea, &c., for fine foliage. 
Also Caladiums for the same purpose; Cissus discolor and 
Coleus Blumei also for foliage ; Stephanotis floribunda and 
Ixoras such as you like best, as the culture is very similar. We 
would say Allamanda cathartica, only you might not have room. 
For autumn, in addition to the above:—Hoyas, such as Pax- 
tonii; Passifloras Buonapartea and princeps, Achimenes, Glox¬ 
inias, and Gesnera zebrina, &c. 
The Ardisia is just like a pretty Ilolly bush, always supplied 
with red berries, only there are no spines on the leaves. Grow 
in loam and heath soil. Temperature from November to March 
from 50° to 60° ; after that it will take all the summer heat with 
a due amount of air. 
Begonia fuchsioides .—Strike a young plant, or get one as soon 
as you can in the spring. Grow on as fast as possible in summer, 
shifting into larger pots as often as necessary until August, 
giving a high summer temperature with a moist atmosphere 
until then; but by the middle of August give all the light 
possible, and by the middle of September curtail water so that 
the plant does not flag, and in November the flower-buds will 
show and open in a temperature averaging 55° at night and the 
air not very moist. 
Epiphyllums are the jointed Cactuses. They generally bloom 
in November. After blooming keep them in the coolest part 
of the stove, and give just what water they need and no 
more. In spring and summer give all the sun possible. After 
August they might stand in front of a wall out of doors, and 
the rains thrown past them, and housed by the end of September. 
Water may then be gradually given. They grow well in a 
mixture of equal parts sandy loam, very old dry manure, and 
lime rubbish. 
The Euphorbia delights in lime rubbish, and sandy loam, and 
heath soil. Grow as freely as possible in spring and summer, 
harden the shoots by sunlight in autumn, and lessen watering. 
When the buds show on the young shoots, give more water and 
a temperature averaging 60°. It will often bloom a long time. 
When done blooming, and rested and rather dry for a fortnight, 
prune back the plant when large, or bend the shoots to make 
them break ; and as soon as the buds break increase the tem¬ 
perature and atmospheric moisture, and water at the roots. 
Justicia flavicoma will bloom almost all the winter, and makes 
a house gay with its bright yellow flowers. It is of simple 
culture, growing freely in sandy loam and peat. When done 
flowering prune back the plant pretty freely, as the flowers come 
on the wood of the previous summer’s growth. This will do as 
low as from 50° to 55°. 
Poinsettia pulcherrima .—Like the Euphorbia above, this never 
makes a very bushy plant. The large crimson bracts at the end 
of the shoots, terminated by the not-striking flowers above 
them, are the great attraction. Loam and a little heath soil 
suit them well. Give water when in bloom and showing bloom. 
When done flowering set them in a cool end of the house, 
averaging from 50° to 55°, or even less. Let the plants become 
pretty dry, then prune them back to within a couple or three 
buds of the base of the shoots, and in a few days give a little 
water. In a week more place the plants in a warmer part of the 
house, and where they will be fully exposed to light. When 
the shoots break, if when six inches long some are much stronger 
than others, the strongest may be nipped, which will cause it to 
come double or triple and about the same strength as the 
weaker ones. After April the shoots should not be stopped. 
They will do anywhere under glass with plenty of light after 
July. In September they should have all the sun possible: 
in October be placed in the stove, have all the light possible, 
and be kept a little dryish until the flower-buds begin to show 
at the points of the shoots, when more heat and moisture will 
be necessary. 
Allamanda neriifolia is a shrub-like plant, in flower most 
of the summer, blooming on the young wood of the current 
year. Prune back freely when done flowering, and get shoots 
growing slowly all the autumn and winter. Peat and loam will 
do well for it. The climbing Allamandas, cathartica, &c., like a 
little bottom heat when making their growth. 
Centradenia rosea will be smothered with bloom on all the 
young twigs. Prune a little when done dowering. Grow in 
loam and heath soil, and give all the light possible in the autumn. 
Keeping it rather dryish in the first part of winter will cause it 
to bloom freely in spring. 
Goldfussia anisophylla, a pretty bushy plant, with lavender- 
coloured flowers produced freely on the young shoots made in 
summer and well exposed in autumn. When done flowering 
it may be cut back to within a few buds of the base of the shoots. 
Eranthemum pulchellum and verrucosum, small, bright, blue 
flowers. Treat as above, only it is rather more tender. 
Franciscea .—All the tribe will live, after the plants are esta¬ 
blished, in a temperature of 45° in winter: so, we presume, your 
greenhouse has not been much below that. At that temperature, 
however, they become almost deciduous. In 10° more heat they 
keep their foliage as sub-evergreens. In the cooler temperature 
they bloom chiefly in spring and summer on short stumpy 
shoots. In a stove temperature in winter, and proportionately 
high in summer, uniflora and others bloom on long slender 
shoots and pretty well all the year round. Few things are 
sweeter scented. In a cool temperature in winter the plants 
should be kept dryish. 
Begonias .—Heat given, these are as easily grown as a Scarlet 
Geranium. From 50° to 60° will suit them all in winter. Sandy 
loam and a little heath soil and leaf mould grow them well; 
and though little water is wanted in winter when the sorts 
bloom in summer, they want plenty of water when growing and 
blooming. All the fine-leaved kinds in the way of Rex flourish 
best in a high moist temperature in summer, and shaded from 
strong direct sun. The same rule applies to Cissus discolor. 
On the other hand, when established Coleus Blumei looks best 
when fully exposed to a summer sun. 
Ixoras coccinea,fulgens, Grifflthii , odorata , rosea, oh or at a .— 
These require to be well drained, to be grown in fibry peat, 
fibry loam, with a good handful of silver sand, and the same of 
small nodules of charcoal, to as much compost as would fill 
a pot of six inches in diameter. These plants are liable to 
various diseases, and especially insects—as thrips and bug ; and 
require much sponging and a close moist heat when growing 
and showing bloom to keep such nuisances at bay. At such 
times they also thrive in a sweet bottom heat of from 80° to 90°. 
Your outline of cidture may be as follows .—If you purchase 
small plants, it is not likely that you will do anything with 
blooming them until the second year. The first season, there¬ 
fore, should be devoted to get as many shoots on a plant nearly 
equal in size as possible. With a little air given early you can 
hardly give them too much heat and moisture in the atmosphere, 
especially in sunny weather, all the spring and summer, and 
a little bottom heat all that time will do them good. In winter 
the bottom heat is of little consequence. The plants should 
be drier, and the temperature may range from 55° to 60°. The 
plants should be placed pretty close to the glass, so that light 
and fresh air may circulate round the plants. This treatment 
arrests mere elongation of shoots and causes the flower-buds to 
form ; and then a strong heat of from 65° to 70° at night, and 
from 75° to 90° during the day, brings the blooms to fine size. 
At that period again, when the buds are started, a sweet bottom 
heat seems to be enjoyed. When the plants have done flowering 
and have been trimmed a little, every encouragement should be 
given to growth until towards the end of autumn, when the 
water should be lessened and the cooler and airier rest of winter 
given. The plants will do without this bottom heat, but they 
are easier managed with it. 
Bondeletia speciosa major .—This beautiful plant is more easily 
managed. When done flowering it is as well to prune it in 
pretty freely, and grow it in a good moist heat, and rest it by 
comparative dryness and a temperature averaging 55° in winter. 
It will bloom profusely on the points of the shoots. It should 
be grown in fibry loam and heath mould. 
Stephanotis floribunda .—This queen of flowers will take as 
high a temperature as you can well give it in summer, except 
when in bloom, when from 50° to 60° at night will keep it longer 
