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'IIIE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, February 22, 1 So9. 
worth the trouble of growers to inquire whether failures 
are not oftener owing to the neglect of such minutiae, 
than the following of directions which they have come to 
suppose to he contrary to nature, but which in reality are 
not so. R. Fish. 
VARIEGATED STOVE PLANTS. 
(Continued from page 2G5.) 
In the following notices of these charming plants, I 
follow no particular arrangement, not even the com¬ 
modious one of alphabetical order. My aim is to describe 
such as I have seen and taken notes of, as being par¬ 
ticularly handsome in the markings on the foliage, and, 
consequently, most worthy of culture-. 
Cyanophyllum MAGHirrcvit (Magnificent C'yano- 
phyllum).—This truly beautiful stove shrub is a native 
of tropical America, where it- was found by Mr. Linden’s 
traveller, and transmitted to Europe in 1857. The leaves 
are rich in colour, and of a fine form. The upper surface 
is of a rich velvety green, with conspicuous ivory white 
nerves and veins. One strong nerve runs up the centre, 
and a pair equally strong run up near the margin and 
meet near the apex. The leaves arc of a long oval shape, 
terminating in a point. In full-grown specimens, the 
leaves reach two feet in length, and seven or eight inches 
broad. The underside of the leaves is of a peculiar 
colour, a kind of coppery, bronzy-purple. The plant 
lias a tendency to grow with a straight, branchless stem ; 
lienee it is necessary to nip off the top, at an early stage, 
to cause it to produce side shoots. The compost it 
delights in, is formed of fresh loam, peat, and leaf 
mould, with sand intermixed. It may be increased by 
cuttings taken from the stem, by leaves with a hud at 
the base, and by cuttings of the stronger roots ; all to he 
planted in silver sand, under a hand-light, citlior in a 
warm tan-bed, or on a heated surface of sand kept moist. 
Mabanta regalis (Royal Marauta).—The authorities 
of Kew Gardens have had the honour of introducing 
this finely-marked plant from Columbia in 1854. 
It has leaves a foot long and four inches broad; the 
underside is of a bright reddish-purple hue ; the upper 
surface is bright green, with a pair of metallic crimson 
veins running from the midrib nearly to the margin. The 
leaves in the early stage of growth are exceedingly 
beautiful; when old, these veins become nearly wliite. 
This plant is easy to grow, requiring the constant heat 
of the stove. If there is the convenience of a bark-bed, 
and the plant is plunged in it, the growth and beauty will 
be very superior to such as are grown on a stage. It is 
easily propagated by side-shoots taken off with roots, and 
planted in small pots, and set under a hand-glass, and 
shaded till fresh growth is caused. A light compost of 
sandy peat and leaf mould, with a small addition of turfy 
loam, will grow it well. 
Croton variegateji (Variegated Croton).—Though 
this is a very old inhabitant of our stoves, yet, as a 
variegated plant, there are none that surpass it when 
properly cultivated. It was introduced from the East 
Indies m 1804. 
T lately saw, in Mr. Coles’ nursery, near Manchester, 
a decided variety with longer leaves, and of a pale green 
colour. Excepting for variety, I prefer the older one. 
It appears, however, to be of a more robust habit. 
The grand secret of obtaining the bright colours— 
golden yellow and lively dark green—is that of giving the 
plant full exposure to every sunbeam, even in the hottest 
days in summer. Under the care of Mr. Hamblin, 
gardener to W. Smith, Esq., of Roundhay, near Leeds, 
I saw, last summer, a Variegated Croton, six feet high 
and four feet through, a dense bush covered with the 
richest-coloured foliage I ever saw, and he ascribed it 
entirely to the effect of full sun light. It was, indeed, a 
truly beautiful object. He made it into a bush by frequent 
stoppings and underpotting. It propagates readily by 
short cuttings, planted in sand under a bell-glass plunged 
in heat. The usual compost of fibry loam, sandy peat, 
and leaf mould, suits this plant admirably. 
Begonia Rex (Kingly Begonia).—This may be con¬ 
sidered the handsomest of all the Begonias, and certainly 
the most easy to propagate and grow afterwards. The 
horticultural world is indebted to the Messrs. Robisons 
for its introduction to this country. As a proof of its 
easy increase, in the beginning of 1S58 it was sold at 
42a. per plant, and may be had now for 3s. 6d. per plant. 
The leaves are of the usual form of the genus ; that is, 
i an oblique oval, inclined to heart-shape. The ground¬ 
colour is of the darkest green ; and on it, about midway 
from the centre to the margin, there is a broad band of 
pure white, giviug the plant a rich unique appearance. 
It keeps its foliage all the year, and is, therefore, always 
a great ornament. 
As it is a rapid grower, it requires frequent potting 
from a small pot to a large one. A plant of three small 
leaves may he grown in one year to the extraordinary 
size of two feet diameter, and leaves proportionality 
large; and the quicker it is grown the more vivid will 
he the markings on the foliage. It may be propagated 
by cuttings of young shoots, and also by small portions 
of the leaves ; or a large leaf may be laid on sand and 
divided into many pieces, and placed under a bell-glass, 
and each division will send out roots, and form buds, 
which quickly put forth small leaves, and so make plants. 
Being such a gross feeder, the compost for it should he 
light and rich. Loam, peat, and well-decomposed dung in 
equal parts, made very sandy, are the right compost for it. 
Every owner of a stove, however small, should procure 
a plant of this very fine Begonia. 
Pandanus Javanicus vauiegatus (Javanese variegated 
I Screw Pine).—A fast-growing Pino-Applc-like plant, with 
long-arched leaves; the ground-colour of which is dark 
! green, with long stripes of silvery white, both in the 
| centre of the leaf and on the margin. A well-grown 
plant is a truly fiuo object. 
[ Soil strong loam, leaf mould, and sandy peat, in equal 
parts. Propagated by suckers and side-shoots, potted 
and plunged in a bark-bed, and shaded till rooted. 
Mabanta Wahscewiczii (Warscewicz’s Maranta). — 
This is a large-growing, robust, evergreen, herbaceous 
stove plant, with large, dark green, velvety foliage, shaded 
and feathered up the midrib of each leaf. A hardy, 
robust plant of great beauty, worthy of a place in every 
stove where there is room for it. Easily propagated by 
taking off a side-sucker with roots, and placing it for a 
week or two under a hand-light, until fresh roots are 
emitted. 
This plant loves a rich, light soil, and abundance of 
water when growing freely in summer. T. Appleby. 
(To he continued.) 
I 
I THE LONDON HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
Mr. Archibald IIenberson lias exercised prudent foresight 
in resigning the situation of gardener to the Horticultural 
Society, and accepting the olfer of a similar appointment to His 
| Grace the Duke of Sutherland, at- Trentliam. We feel quite 
| certain that Mr. Henderson has taken a course which is very 
| much more for his own interest, and infinitely more creditable to 
a good gardener, than to continue in a place where merit is not 
appreciated, and genius lias no encouragement. During the 
period Mr. Henderson was at Chiswick, he managed tire gardens 
hi the best possible manner; and never, during the whole time 
we have known them, do we ever remember seeing them in such 
high keeping. During the whole of the winter months they were 
always neat and cheerful; while the arboretum, especially, was a 
perfect paradise. We say Mr. Henderson lias exhibited prudent 
foresight in the step he has taken ; for, no sooner is his advance¬ 
ment made known, than the Council of the Horticultural 
Society issue “An Address to the Fellows,” stating that it is 
