1884.] 
THE AMERICAN GARDEN. 
49 
8TEPHAN0TI8 FLOEIBUNDA. 
Few white-flowered idiiuta oqiiul Ihis in 
wax-like purity, graoofuliiOMM of roi.m, luid 
delicate perfume. Like tlie KucliariH Aiiia- 
»oniea, flowers of the Slepliauotis are ov(>rv- 
hody’s favorites, and f.hey will last, I’rcsli for 
several days after being eut—a valua.hle pro¬ 
perty in f he ease of llowers grown for limi'hof, 
purposes. For butf,on-hole boiuiuets, about 
throe single llowers or finds, backed by a bil, 
of Maiden-hair Fern or frond of a Davallia, 
fook remarkably well. 'I’hey are well 
adapted for boiuiuofs, and are used largidy 
along with Orange Blossom in bridal bou¬ 
quets; while, as a wreath for ladies’hair, 
nothing can be prettier than a cluster or l,wo 
of expanded blossoms and unopened buds of 
Stephanotis, backed by its own thick, rich- 
green leaves. In forming wreaths of this 
description, the old or well-developed foliage 
only should be employed, as the fresh young 
leaves soon droop and wither 
after being cut from the plant. 
The Stephanotis is easily 
propagated by means of cut¬ 
tings made of the young wood, 
leaving a heel of old wood at 
the base. These should be in¬ 
serted in a prepared eutting- 
pot, and covered with a bell- 
glass, placing the pot in a 
genial bottom-heat, either in 
a pit or propagating ease; in 
the latter case, the bell-glass 
may be dispensed with. The 
young plants gi'ow freely if 
liberally treated — that is, if 
planted in good fibrous loam, 
crocks, and leaf-mold, to 
which sufficient coarse sand¬ 
stone grit has been added to 
keep the soil open. In a com¬ 
post of this kind the gi’owth . 
made is short-jointed and 
robust, and much more florif- 
erous than coarser gi-owth 
made by plants in well-ma¬ 
nured composts. 
A warm arid genial temper- 
atm-e, where it can be trained 
close to the glass and fully 
exposed to the sunlight, is 
most grateful to the plant. It 
grows freely trained on glass 
partitions or back walls, but 
rarely flowers so well as when 
fully exposed nearer the glass. 
Some gi-owers for mai-ket 
cover the roofs of their forc¬ 
ing houses with this plant, 
and obtain crops of its pearly, deliciously | 
scented flowers for nine or ten months out of 
twelve. It grows well in pots, in which it 
forms a fine e.xhibition plant, and it is one of 
the most striking of all plants thus treated ; 
but, where .quantities of cut blooms are re¬ 
quired, i)ot culture is too troublesome, and i 
does not pay half so well as when the plants . 
are planted out and trained on the roof. 
They should be pruned in rather closely ! 
about December or January, and they may 
be started into growth as required by means ; 
of a little extra heat and moisture. 
The Stephanotis is liable to become in- I 
fested with mealy bugs, which sp^il the 
looks of the foliage; and if tliis pro > eious 
pest be not kept in cheek, the ° j 
the flowers also become infested. 
means of obviating this state of t mgs is 
oxtromo cloaiilineHs, for mealy bugs rarely 
appear unless a plant has been neglecteil or 
irregularly treated with regard to moisture. 
l'’re(|nont syringings with water at from H(A 
to 100" will be found an excidlent preveid,- 
ive of insect iiests, and the jdants seem In 
tiiorouglily enjoy this warm batli daily all 
through the snnimer — precautions being 
taken not l,o wel, i.he fully expanded llowers. 
This seldom happens where llowers are 
grown foi’ cutting, eveiy cluster being cut 
as soon as ever I,he buds show signs of 
opening, ami the unopened buds are ralher 
benelited liy syringing than otherwise. 
A gloat deal diqicnds on regidar syringing, 
as above directed, and occasionally sponging 
over with soa)) and w-ater. At the time the 
plants arc cut back they slioidd he carefully 
cleaned throughout, using soft soa]) and 
warm water, and syringing afterward with 
clean soft water. — /a /.oadoa Oewdetn 
STEPHANOTIS FLORIBUNDA. 
PILOQYNE SUAVIS. 
One of the best vines for house culture is 
the Pilogyne. It has leaves shaped some¬ 
thing like those of the Grape, but smaller, 
of a clear, bright green. It is a most rapid 
grower, branching very freely. It throws 
out long tendrils from the axil of each leaf, 
and these twine about everything with 
which they come in contact, thus supporting 
the plant without tying. It is therefore well 
adapted to use on trellises or for training of 
strings about the window or around the 
room.^ It does not seem to care particularly 
without much sunshine. 
The only thing that has over troubled my 
plant is the mealy bug, which seems to 
have an especial liking for it. I find but 
little trouble in getting rid of this pest, if I 
apply kerosene to him by means of a feather. 
I 'I'hc oil docs not seem to injure the plant 
; any. What it might do to more delicate 
plants I am not able to say, as no other 
phuits of mine have been infested. 
1 'I’hc Pilogyne is very graceful when giown 
in a hanging basket or vase. I have had the 
best success when 1 grew it in a mixture of 
loam and sand. Keep the plant pinched off 
close to the pot until plenty of branches 
’ form. It bears a small white flower which 
is not at all conspicuous. The plant is valu¬ 
able oidy on account of its profuse and 
pleasing foliage and its rapid, gi-aceful 
growth. It can be used out of doors during 
j the Slimmer, to climb about the veranda or 
I porch. Give it plenty of strings, and it will 
^ form a voi-y charming screen. 
I It grows readily from cuttings. I have a 
, long box filled with it. To the box is at- 
I taehed a square trellis, which is completely 
I covered with the vine. As the box is on 
casters, I have a portable 
screen for use in the parlor 
mucli more attractive, to me, 
than any painted screen could 
be. * » 
SMTLAX POE 'WHTDOWS. 
The chief cause of failure 
with this graceful vine as a 
window plant, is the dry heat 
and the dust of the rooms. 
Where these can be avoided, 
there is no difficulty in grow¬ 
ing it as suceessfuUyin a room 
as in a greenhouse. The seed, 
which is slow to germinate, 
is sown in winter, up to 
March. WTien the young 
plants are thi-ee inches high, 
they are pricked out or potted 
in small pots, shifting them 
again to larger ones as they 
increase in size. A soil com¬ 
posed of well-decayed sods 
and cow-maniu'e is most suit¬ 
able for Smilax. During sum¬ 
mer the plants may be kept 
outdoors in a partiallj' shaded 
position, I’emoving them to 
the house at the approach of 
cold wmather. 
MAHEENIA. 
Maliernia oclorata, wliieh is 
the species principally grown, 
is a. very neat little shrub of 
about two feet in height, and 
is one of the prettiest and 
most satisfactory window’ plants. It is a 
native of the Cape of Good Hope, and w'as 
introduced to cultivation in the early part 
of this century. Its fragi'ant yellow, bell¬ 
shaped flow’ers are borne in greatest pro¬ 
fusion, blooming all w'inter, and entirely 
covering the plant. Ordinary potting soil, 
consisting of decayed manure, loam, and 
sand, suits it best; it should be kept rather 
moist, but not constantly soaked, and re¬ 
ceive as much direct sunlight as possible. 
OLEAlirDEES. 
A French catalogue before us contains not 
less than forty distinct and named varieties 
of Laurel Foscs —under which name they are 
described—varying in all shades from white 
and yellow to rose, carmine and purple. 
