BICOLOR SPLENDENS. CALADIUM BICOLOR PLATE IV. "WHO loves a garden loves a greenhouse too. The ruddier orange, and the paler lime, COWPER. Caladium, in the natural order Arads, (Araceæ,) Linnæus, 21.-Monacia, 9.-Polyandria, is allied to the genus Colocasia. The ginger-like roots of Caladium bicolor are used as food in tropical countries, under the name of cocoa roots. Stove evergreens or stove herbaceous plants, with the excep C 8 CALADIUM BICOLOR SPLENDENS. tion of Caladium Virginicum, which comes from Virginia, and is quite hardy in this climate. There is an interest attached to these plants on account of the beauty of their stems and leaves. Caladium bicolor splendens, the Splendid Two-coloured Caladium, is a native of Madeira, having been introduced into this country as early as 1773. It is a deciduous stove herbaceous plant, the foliage dying down in the autumn. Summer temperature 70° to 80°, winter temperature 55° to 60°. The plant attains the height of two feet. The leaves when well grown are truly magnificent; they are about nine inches long, and seven inches broad. The centre of each leaf is of a glossy metallic lustre, between scarlet and crimson; the margin of each leaf being dark green. Flowers white. Increased by division, and by small bulbs or tubers. The plants which lie dormant in winter should in spring have all the old soil shaken from them. Pot in a compost consisting of peat, turfy loam, and well decomposed cow dung. Drain the pots well, and plant the tubers about half an inch deep; give bottom-heat, but no water until the leaves begin to appear, then gradually increase the quantity as the plant advances in growth. In October allow the plants gradually to dry off, and then put them on a shelf, out of the way of moisture and frost. For plants we are indebted to Mr. Lamb, gardener to Mr. F. Wright, of Osmaston; Mr. Jackson, Nurseryman, Kingston; and to Mr. Rollisson, of Tooting. The illustration is from a plant in the collection of Mr. Howard. |