1878 .] 
MACROZAMIA MACKENZII.-MARKET PLANTS-IX. 
183 
MACROZAMIA MACKENZII. 
.^rpS’HIS is a very ornamental plant, as the 
wm accompanying figure sufficiently indi- 
cates. It is one of the handsome new 
Cycads which have been met with in the recent 
explorations of the Australian continent, having 
been discovered in Queensland, whence Mr. 
Bull has successfully imported it. It has a 
low bulbiform or ovate trunk, from whence a 
fine head of leaves is put forth. These leaves 
are oblong-ovate in outline, and of a dark green 
colour, and are made up of numerous narrow 
tapering segments of from 9 to 10 in. in length. 
These leaves assume a gracefully arching form, 
and form together a very elegant crown to the 
trunk. The rachis is strongly developed at 
the back of the leaf, slightly so in front, the 
segments being set on at about half an inch 
apart along the central portion, the upper 
ones being more closely and the lower ones 
more distantly placed. 
As an evergreen greenhouse plant of long- 
enduring character, this and several kindred 
Cycads are invaluable for the continuous de¬ 
coration of cool conservatories ; and being of 
easy culture, it is somewhat surprising that they 
are not more commonly thus employed. They 
are indeed somewhat slow in development, and 
therefore a well-established specimen should in 
the first instance be secured, but when they are 
once obtained, they may be looked upon as 
objects of perennial beauty.—T. Moore. 
MARKET PLANTS.—IX. 
Stokesia cyanea and Berried Solandms. 
CppT is but few market growers who take 
<sj m Stokesia cyanea in hand. At Edmonton, 
Messrs. J. and J. Hayes grow it some¬ 
what largely, not to market in pots, but in the 
form of cut flowers, and find it to be a very 
remunerative article. This fine South-Caro- 
linian perennial has become lost to many 
gardens, and it was with peculiar satisfaction 
I marked a large patch of it at Edmonton, 
grown for the purpose named above. It is a 
stout free-growing plant, but except in the 
most favourable positions does not expand its 
flowers in the open air, in consequence of the 
late period of the year when they are put 
forth. This late-flowering property makes it 
useful for market work, as the plants are grown 
in the open ground all the summer till August; 
they are then lifted and potted in 48 and 24- 
sized pots, according to their size, and then put 
into a cold house, to open their flowers. A 
sufficient number of plants are grown to admit 
of a supply of flowers being had from Sep¬ 
tember till Christmas. In the market they 
find a ready sale, being blue in colour, showy 
in appearance, and something like those of a 
China Aster. 
Increase of the Stokesia is made by dividing 
the plants in spring, breaking up the strongest 
into four or five pieces, the smaller plants into 
less, and planting them out in some good light 
soil for the summer, to grow into size. Some¬ 
times the plants are kept all through the sum¬ 
mer in the pots in which they bloomed, but 
they are best divided, and planted out as above 
described. 
Berried Solanums are grown for market to 
an extent that would be surprising did not 
their great value as decorative plants in winter 
indicate something of the many uses to which 
they can be put. There are many growers 
who send Solanums to market, and the num¬ 
ber they grow depends on the accommodation 
they can afford the plants, and the connection 
they have in the way of buyers. Messrs. J. 
and J. Hayes grow annually from 10,000 to 
12,000 plants, and it is an interesting sight 
to see these about the end of July. In one 
large airy house—one of those houses that are 
constructed solely for the growth of plants, and 
not for the mere purpose of showing them off 
—on the broad centre stage and on the side 
stages, some 3,000 to 4,000 plants were 
arranged, a large number in 5-in. and a goodly 
quantity in 6-in. pots. The plants were in 
flower, and were kept here till they had set 
their berries, when they were all stood out in 
the open-air to colour ; and the earliest to do 
this are sent to market as soon as they are 
ready. A remarkable feature about these 
plants was the even growth of this large num¬ 
ber, congregated in one house ; they averaged 
nine inches in height, were of a bushy form, and 
developing into finely furnished plants. The 
growers of Solanums select their seed-plants 
with great care, preferring those with a nice, 
even, short-jointed growth, a little spreading 
towards the outside, so as to display the berries 
to the best advantage. All types with the 
berries hidden among the leaves, or with small 
berries, are set aside, as not worthy of being 
grown. By acting in the way, a capital strain 
is secured, and it must be admitted that the 
market growers are most zealous in getting the 
very finest strains of everything they grow. 
Quality has its value fully appraised in the 
market. 
The great bulk of the plants are raised from 
cuttings. It is best in practice to obtain stock 
in this way. Old plants put into warmth in 
January put forth an abundance of shoots, and 
