598 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
May 19, 1888. 
■well in the British Isles ; but beyond a gradual hardening 
similar to that before exposing soft bedding plants to 
the open air, these cannot be said to come within the 
bounds of acclimatisation. 
Acclimatisation rests on a broader principle, and, 
perhaps, less noticeable—and certainly not so immedi¬ 
ately effective as generally supposed—to us than we 
imagine. It is, nevertheless, a fact which nature 
evidences on every side ; but how and why it is that 
plants at one time not unlikely one and the same can 
now exist under vastly dissimilar conditions of tem¬ 
perature, with little but the organs of reproduction to 
testify their kinship, is not so easily perceived. One 
thing is clear—that the process took more time in 
fitting the plants for their present conditions than the 
observations of man can boast.— D. Chisholm. 
-->-Z<--- 
ORNAMENTAL STOVE PLANTS. 
(Continued from p. 582.) 
Cyanophyllum magnifichm. This is one of the 
finest and boldest-looking ornamental stove plants. It 
is of easy growth, and a very effectively-coloured exhi¬ 
bition plant. The reason why some do not grow it is 
because it requires a large amount of space to bring it to 
perfection. The leaves are of a beautiful velvety green 
with a fine white venation, which is prominently 
shown. It requires a very brisk humid heat to mature 
it, and young plants should f>e kept in readiness to pot 
on at all times of the year, in order to replace the older 
plants, which become unsightly as soon as they lose 
their bottom leaves. If one old plant be kept, it will 
yield sufficient cuttings for ordinary purposes, throwing 
the others away as young ones are potted up to take 
their place. They root readily enough from side-shoots 
with about four leaves upon them, and should be 
placed one cutting in the centre of a suitable-sized pot, 
and plunged in a very brisk heat, covering them with 
a bell-glass. They generally root well in a fortnight, 
and as soon as this is well accomplished, they should be 
placed in larger pots. Keep continually potting on till 
they are in that size of pot in which they are intended 
to remain. Nothing injures the foliage more than 
allowing the plants to become pot-bound in a young 
state. A good rough compost of loam, peat, and 
broken charcoal suits it well, or leaf-soil in preference 
to peat when obtainable. It requires shading from the 
direct rays of the sun, as the foliage will soon blister 
or lose its rich lustre if this matter be neglected. 
Sphjerogyne LATIFOLIA is a very fine ornamental¬ 
leaved plant, the colour of the leaf being a beautiful 
light velvety green ; obovate in shape, and hirsute in 
character. At first glance it somewhat resembles plush 
velvet. It is a very erect-growing plant, and requires 
a high temperature to bring it to perfection. It is 
considerably stiffer and stronger in its habit than the 
Cyanophyllum, and does not require anything like 
the amount of room to show itself to advantage. 
It roots freely from either the leading points or from 
the side shoots that come up after the leader has 
been cut away, and should be kept in a very brisk heat 
with a bell-glass over it till rooted. It is of much 
slower growth than the Cyanophyllum, and, con¬ 
sequently, does not require potting on quite so fast. 
The same compost as recommended for Cyanophyllum 
will do for this plant. 
Marantas are a class of very highly ornamental stove 
plants, all the species being extremely beautiful. 
They require a high humid heat to grow them to 
perfection, and they should be kept shaded from strong 
sunshine at all times, or they will soon lose their 
lustre. They are propagated by division of the crowns, 
and this operation ought to be done in the early spring 
months, just as the plants show signs of starting into 
fresh growth. After the divided crowns have been 
re-potted they should be plunged in a good bottom 
heat, and be kept very close for a few weeks, at the 
end of which time they may be gradually inured to 
the ordinary stove temperature. The soil in which 
they generally succeed very well is rough peat and 
fibrous loam in equal parts, with a good dash of silver- 
sand and charcoal well incorporated with it. The 
larger the plants the rougher the potting material 
should be. Marantas will not thrive in a close compost, 
and as they all have very thick fleshy roots, they 
require an abundance of water, a porous soil and good 
heat to grow them well. M. Veitchii is, perhaps, one 
of the finest of the tall-growing kinds, and M. Massan- 
geana one of the prettiest of the dwarf forms ; but 
there are a good number of kinds to choose from, and 
I will leave this matter to individual taste. All 
Marantas have a glossy or satiny surface to their foliage, 
and are really better without syringing, provided a 
good humid atmosphere can be maintained from the 
floors and stages upon which they stand. These 
plants, as well as others of a similar character, soon 
show any speck of dirt upon their foliage, and syringing 
often leaves marks upon the surface of the leaf that is 
very noticeable. It is better to sponge the plants 
occasionally with a mixture of Fir Tree Oil, which 
imparts to the foliage a rich shining lustre. 
Alocasias stand pre-eminently forward as plants with 
a rich lustre on the foliage that is attractive to all who 
see them. Their style of growth may appear somewhat 
stiff, but when good specimens are obtained they lose 
this appearance to a very great extent. Being plants 
from a torrid clime, they naturally require a good heat 
to bring out their rich colours. They are usually 
propagated by division of the crowns, or, in the case of 
new kinds, by cutting the stem into a number of 
divisions where shoots appear likely to break out. 
They require very close quarters after potting until 
they make good root action. Large plants should be 
shaken out every year, and re-potted into very rough 
material. That recommended for Marantas will answer 
the purpose very well, keeping the plants well shaded 
and in a good growing temperature. A. macrorhiza 
variegata is a very large-growing species, and when at 
its best requires a great deal of room. It is not a good 
kind for moving about to shows, as its large leaves are 
apt to be readily broken in transit. A. Sanderiana 
appears to be one of the best of the newer kinds, its 
peculiar cut foliage and distinct white veins rendering 
it very conspicuous. A. metallica is one of the best when 
under good cultivation, and a well-grown plant of it is 
worth inspecting at any time. Its metallic-coloured 
foliage will be known to nearly all who have ever had 
anything to do with stove plants. All the species are 
rich in foliage, and they form a very important class of 
stove plants. 
Cissus discolor is a very richly coloured plant, and 
a quick-growing stove climber, requiring to be kept from 
the direct rays of the sun, or it will soon lose its rich 
lustre. It is a plant well known to nearly all who 
possess a stove, and scarcely needs describing. It 
makes a capital plant for covering a wall, or for rafters 
where its shoots can hang loosely and show themselves 
to the best advantage. It roots freely from cuttings, 
and a few plants should be rooted every season, as 
young plants are very useful for placing in suspending 
baskets, or for almost any kind of festooning work. 
Phyllotainium Lindenii is a grand ornamental 
Aroid, and makes a very fine exhibition plant when well 
cultivated. The form of the leaf is sagittate or arrow- 
shaped, and very large under good cultivation. Its 
colour is bright green, the centre part of the leaf and 
primary veins being a beautiful silvery white. It 
requires a good heat to bring it to perfection, and does 
not care for being too much disturbed at the roots. A 
compost of very rough loam and peat with broken 
charcoal suits it well, and after potting it should be 
allowed to commence making fresh rootlets before 
giving the ball of soil too much water. It also derives 
much benefit from a good sharp bottom heat. It may be 
propagated by division of the crowns, and is a plant 
deserving of good cultivation. 
Philodendron Carderi is an exquisite ornamental 
foliaged plant; the colour is a kind of bottle-green 
with a satiny lustre, the venation being marked out by 
a strong glaucous tint. It is a handsome plant, and 
well adapted for clinging to damp walls in a stove or 
for pillars. It may be propagated by.cutting the stem 
into lengths, each length having a growing eye in the 
axil of the leaf. It requires a good stove temperature 
to show its best characters to perfection. 
A great variety of other subjects exist with highly 
ornamental foliage. Mention may be made of the 
Campylobotrys, a genus of low-growing stove plants 
with rich bronzy coloured foliage ; also Cyrtoderias of 
sorts, small low-growing trailing plants with both 
ornamental foliage and flowers. Dichorisandras and 
Dieffenbachias, both plants with rich-coloured foliage, 
are always attractive ornamental objects when clean 
and under good cultivation. Crotons, Dracaenas and 
Begonias are so well known as not to need any descrip¬ 
tion, but all of which add elegance and lustre to the 
general collection of ornamental foliaged plants. The 
high colours and graceful habit of some of the Crotons 
would be sadly missed in the general arrangement of a 
collection of plants, so would the high colours exhibited 
by the Dracaenas, were they to be excluded from the 
lists of ornamental plants. Cleanliness is the principal 
thing in keeping all the plants enumerated in a 
healthy and presentable condition, provided they have 
the other requisites—which are heat and moisture, and 
without which it is folly to attempt to grow any of the 
plants named in these remarks. — TV. G. 
{To le continued.) 
THE TEMPLE SHOW. 
“ Poor, unfortunate society !” was the staple excla¬ 
mation in the Temple Gardens on Thursday morning, 
followed by the general remark, “A fine show, but 
awful weather !”—a description of the situation which 
was absolutely true in every particular. The weather 
broke on Wednesday, giving the Regent’s Park autho¬ 
rities a taste of its inconvenience. In the night a 
strong south-westerly gale sprang up, and blowing 
strongly off the Thames on to the tents, threatened for 
a time to bring them to the ground. The whole of the 
exhibits are arranged in two large tents, the smaller 
one being devoted exclusively to the produce of the 
market growers for Covent Garden, and right nobly 
do “the growers” maintain their high reputation. 
The larger of the two marquees—one of Mr. Unite’s 
best—contains a most admirable collection of plants, 
considering the circumstances and the place—a city 
garden. Orchids and Roses are the bright particular 
features, and of the former it may truly be said that no 
finer display has been seen in London since the Orchid 
Conference at South Kensington, a year or two ago. 
Baron Schroder right royally supports the Council in 
sending a magnificent group—by far the most valuable 
contribution to the exhibition. Fortunately for the 
society, and no less for the admirable lawn, the pre¬ 
caution has been taken to lay down wooden flooring on 
all the gangways, so that visitors need not be in the 
least afraid of damp under foot. Notwithstanding the 
rain, there was a good number of visitors present on 
Thursday afternoon, and shortly after three o’clock the 
Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, M.P., visited the show, 
and was escorted round the tents by Sir Trevor 
Lawrence. The right hon. gentleman stayed fully an 
hour, and appeared to take great interest in the various 
exhibits. 
The staging in the main tent is confined to the 
centre, a wide border on the sides being devoted to the 
Roses, &c., stood on the grass. Taking the stage first, 
the visitor’s eye, on entering, catches a handsome 
group of Orchids—Cattleyas, Lmlias, Odontoglossums, 
Cypripediums, &c.—from Messrs. Hugh Low & Co., 
Clapton ; then turning to the left is seen a noble bank 
of similarly gorgeous flowers. First comes Messrs. 
Sander & Co., of St. Albans, with a large and hand¬ 
some collection—mainly comprising Odontoglossums, 
but lightened up by a few brilliant Cattleyas, such as 
the lovely new C. Rothschildiana—and here also 
was a striking new Scuticaria, named Keyseriana, 
in compliment to the Lord Mayor. To the St. 
Albans group succeeds a pretty lot of cut flowers 
of Orchids, some dozen bunches being staged by 
Major Lendy, Sunbury House, Sunbury-on-Thames. 
Next comes a large collection of specimens and half 
specimens—fine pieces _ of Lrelia purpurata, various 
Cattleyas, Odontoglots, Cypripedium Lawrenciana, and 
a noble mass of Cattleya citrina from Mr. J. Cypher of 
Cheltenham. H. M. Pollett, Esq., of Fernside, Bickley, 
follows with an exceedingly choice group of Odonto¬ 
glossums, rich in the fine varieties for which his 
collection is noted. Then comes a small, but well 
varied collection from Mr. East, gardener to F. Wigan, 
Esq., Clare Lawn, East Sheen, leading up to the 
noble groups from Baron Schroder, which includes,, 
among other striking objects, well-bloomed specimens 
of Cymbidium Lowianum (a noble example with six 
spikes), Cattleya Skinneri, Odontoglossum vexillarium 
in pale and bright rose-coloured varieties, a remarkable 
display of various forms of 0. crispum, and by no 
means least of all in interest, the only plant believed to 
be in the country of the pure white Aerides Williamsi. 
To the Baron’s collection succeeds one of considerable 
extent from the president, Sir Trevor Lawrence, and 
which includes many sterling novelties and species of 
rare interest. 
On the opposite side, still continuing our tour round, 
comes a grand group of eight plants of show and 
fancy Pelargoniums, from Mr. Charles Turner, the 
latter being of large size and bloomed to perfection. 
Then comes an admirable foil in the form of a large 
contribution from Mr. B. S. Williams ; a capital 
assortment of stove and greenhouse plants, in small 
and half specimens, mainly of the ornamental foliaged 
class. Messrs. J. & J. Hayes, of Lower Edmonton, 
stage a capital group of market Pelargoniums of the 
decorative type; and these are followed by a 
singularly handsome lot of herbaceous Calceolarias 
from Mr. J. James, Woodside, Farnham Royal ; 
followed in turn by a capital display of Tuberous 
Begonias from Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, Swanley ; 
and a small group of Orchids and Maidenhair Ferns 
from Messrs. Page & Sons, Grove Nursery, Teddington, 
