AUGUST 
177 
then repotted with light soil (sandy loam and leaf mould), and grown on in heat 
till they are from 2 to 3 feet high, and nearly as much through. The sizes of 
pots are kept about the same, except when the roots of any of the plants may 
have been injured, then small pots and more sand in the soil are used. If any 
become very pot-bound they receive a larger-sized pot after they have broken 
and shown flower, which keeps them safe from drought at the roots, as a number 
of plants of different sizes have to be into flower by Christmas. The most 
promising are selected, placed in a gentle heat about the middle of November, 
and are kept moving slowly till signs of flower appear; and then more heat and 
moisture are applied till the buds begin to open. Then more air is given, and 
less moisture. In a short time afterwards they are ready for decoration or for 
cut flowers ; and as one lot is taken out, as many more are placed in their quarters 
—thus keeping up a supply till they come in of their own accord. 
When Deutzias are to be forced, like all other hardy plants they require to 
be protected from frost and. heavy rain ; and if a greenhouse temperature can 
be maintained for some time previous to the application of stronger heat they 
will flower freely and more regularly. We commence with a temperature of 
45°, and increase it to 55° in process of forcing, and always taking full advantage 
of sun heat, shutting up early with moisture. The finest Deutzia I ever saw 
was had from the late Milne & Co.’s Nursery, Vauxhall. The plant appeared 
to be grown to the sizQ required, and then pinched all over ; fresh shoots would 
be emitted, and each top, when in flower, formed a small bouquet. These 
plants were always as much across as they were high, and no stakes were ever 
used to deform them. When these beautiful little plants are tied round trellises 
or stakes they are robbed of their beauty; they should be compact and hanging 
over the rims of the pot. When used for cut flowers the blooms should be taken 
before the blooms expand, as they do not last long after they are fully out; our 
last lot are now over for the season, and the earliest for next are nearly full 
grown. 
A good companion to the Deutzia is the Prunus flore pleno. This little 
double Plum, if treated the same as the Deutzia (except turning out of pots in 
the reserve ground when wanted for flowering early, which does not suit it), 
makes a useful plant. „ ... 7 „ 7 s 
1 M.—( Scottish Gardener.) 
OUR CONTEMPORARIES. 
The Botanical Magazine for July contains plates of the following 
plants:— 
Meconopsis nepalensis .—A noble Papaveraceous plant, originally discovered 
by Dr. Wallich in the mountains of Nepal, and more recently by Dr. Hooker 
in the central dampest regions of the Sikkim Himalaya, where it grows abun¬ 
dantly at elevations of 10,000 to 11,000 feet above the level of the sea, and 
often ornaments the rank herbage that skirts the Pine forest. It is described 
as being a tall, robust, simple, or sparingly-branched herb, from 3 to 5 feet 
high, biennial (?), having stems often from 1 to 2 inches in diameter at the 
base, and erect racemes of pale golden or sulphur yellow flowers 2 or 3 inches 
in diameter. “ A more stately and beautiful plant,” says Dr. Hooker, “ can 
hardly be imagined, except the Hollyhock, which it somewhat resembles in 
miniature.” 
Polystachya imbescens .—A South African Orchid, which is doubtless iden¬ 
tical with the Epiphora pubescens of Lindley, who separated the genus Epi¬ 
phora from Polystachya ; but the two are now re-united. P. pubescens is con- 
