February  21,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
lb  9 
Ixora  Culture. 
I  venture  to  say  that  out  of  all  the  specimen  stove  and  greenhouse 
plants  staged  none  has  a  greater  effect  on  the  eye  of  the  public  than  a 
well-flowered  Ixora,  as  it  is  simply  rega1  from  any  point  of  view. 
Another  important  point  in  its  favour  is  that  it  is  not  one  of  those 
transient  flowers  which  opens  to-day  and  is  gone  to-morrow,  but  if 
carefully  humoured  will  give  a  return  throughout  the  summer  and 
autumn,  and  will  add  a  brightness  all  its  own  to  the  stove  or  inter¬ 
mediate  house.  A  few  notes  as  to  culture  will,  I  think,  be  welcomed 
by  those  who  do  not  successfully  grow  them. 
The  multiplication  of  the  Ixora  is  not  a  difficult  matter  to  those 
possessing  a  good 
propagating  case. 
Prior  to  inserting 
the  cuttings  it  is 
well  to  have  some 
3-inch  pots  well 
washed  and  tho¬ 
roughly  drained, 
using  as  a  corn- 
men  cement  two 
parts  of  peat  to  one 
of  leaf  mould  and 
good  silver  sand. 
The  cuttings  should 
be  about  4  inches 
long  andof  sufficient 
firmness  to  keep 
them  from  damp¬ 
ing.  Insert  them 
and  water  through 
a  fine  rose,  allowing 
the  leaves  to  get 
moderately  dry  be¬ 
fore  plunging  the 
pots  in  the  propa¬ 
gating  case.  Damp¬ 
ing  may  be  avoided 
by  admitting  a  little 
air  during  the  day 
to  dispel  the  mois¬ 
ture,  shading  from 
hot  sunshine.  In 
time  roots  will  be 
formed,  and  it  is 
just  as  well  not  to 
leave  the  plants  too 
long  in  the  plunging 
material,  but  see  to 
their  removal  into 
larger  pots  ;  5  or 
5|-inch  pots  will  be 
suitable,  the  com¬ 
post  being  three 
parts  of  best  fibrous 
peat  with  all  the 
loose  material  re¬ 
moved,  some  rough 
leaf  mould,  lump 
charcoal,  and  coarse  silver  sand.  Drain  the  pots  in  a  perfect  manner, 
and  pot  deeply  enough  to  allow  the  lower  leaves  to  nearly  touch  the 
surface  of  the  soil.  If  convenient  re-plunge  in  a  propagating  box, 
Bhade  for  a  time,  and  syringe  twice  a  day  when  the  roots  are  on  the 
move.  Good  stout  shoots  propagated  quickly  will  give  flowers  the  first 
season,  but  where  well-furnished  specimens  are  wanted  it  is  advisable 
to  pinch  the  shoots  when  about  5  inohes  high  and  get  as  much  growth 
as  possible  the  first  season,  then  a  good  result  may  be  looked  for 
during  the  next  year.  As  autumn  comes  round  much  less  water  is 
required,  and  the  syringing  should  be  discontinued,  keeping  the  roots 
on  the  dry  side  until  the  plants  are  ready  for  starting  the  following 
spring. 
The  bush  and  pyramid  forms  are  those  generally  adopted  by 
exhibitors,  the  former  finding  much  favour  by  reason  of  the  few 
requirements  needed  to  bring  about  the  best  results.  All  the  flowers 
can  be  seen  at  a  glance,  whereas  it  is  not  so  in  the  case  of  pyramids. 
The  Ixora  is  subjeot  to  insect  pests — viz.,  mealy  bug  and  thrips,  and 
it  is  for  this  reason,  more  than  any  other,  that  they  are  not  more  largelv 
cultivated.  In  these  days,  when  it  is  war  to  the  bitter  end  with  all 
insect  pests,  the  good  grower  can,  with  a  little  perseverance,  soon  be 
rid  of  them  by  using  any  of  the  various  insecticides  so  freely  advertised. 
The  great  lodging  place  is  in  the  points  of  the  new  shoots,  which  want 
deftly  handling  so  as  not  to  cause  injury. 
It  is  not  my  intention  to  deal  with  very  many  varieties,  but  mention 
what  I  consider  to  be  best.  1.  coccinea  is  free  flowering  and  useful, 
its  bright  scarlet  heads  and  long  tubes  standing  out  conspicuously. 
I.  coccinea  superba,  as  its  name  implies,  is  a  finer  type  not  only  in  its 
richly  coloured 
trusses  of  flower, but 
in  its  shapely  habit 
of  growth.  I.  Duffi 
is  not  largely  grown 
owing  to  its  strong 
habit  of  growth,  but 
where  space  is  no 
object  there  is  no 
mistaking  its  long 
pale  green  leaves 
and  the  massive 
heads  of  reddish 
crimson  flowers.  I. 
Pilgrimi  is  most  ex¬ 
cellent,  for  not  only 
is  it  a  rapid  grower, 
but  its  freedom  of 
flower  is  such  as  to 
commend  for  any 
purpose  the  rich 
orange  scarlet 
flowers.  In  I.  pro- 
fusa  we  have  an 
admirable  variety  ; 
the  flowers  are  of 
a  warm  shade  of 
rosy  salmon.  I. 
regina  is  of  neat 
habit,  and  the 
trusses  are  not 
large,  but  freely 
produced,  and  lasfc 
long  in  perfection. 
I.Williamsi  is  large¬ 
ly  used  by  exhibi¬ 
tors,  and  is  probably 
one  of  the  freest 
forms ;  its  rich  rosy 
salmon  flowers  and 
compact  growth 
make  it  a  favourite 
with  everyone. 
In  conclusion,  I 
may  mention  that 
the  season  of  flower¬ 
ing  will  be  greatly 
prolonged  if,  when 
the  trusses  are  almost  developed,  they  are  gradually  inured  to  the 
temperature  of  an  intermediate  or  almost  cool  house,  not  leaving 
them  so  long  in  the  autumn  that  the  cold  weather  will  affect  them, 
but  giving  moderate  heat  and  little  water,  so  as  to  get  the  growth 
thoroughly  firm. — R.  P.  R. 
- 
Humus. — This  is  a  term  applied  to  the  organic  partially  deoayed 
matter  in  the  soil.  Leaf  mould,  wood  dirt  or  a  green  crop  ploughed 
under  forms  humus.  Humus  is  the  principal  source  of  nitrogen  in 
earth.  Its  action  is  beneficial  not  only  in  enriching  but  mechanically 
improving  both  heavy  and  light  soils. 
Ixora  regina 
