Mar, 5—The study of plant life is most li teresting and instructive and not the least i teresting section is that devoted to that extraordinary phenomenon known as asexual reproduction. This is to be found in many succulents and a good example of it is to be observed in the sprouting leaves of the "Air-plant" (Bryophyllum calycinum). This plant is a native of the East Indies, but it grows wild in Hawaii and many other places. It requires the protection of a greenhouse here during the Winter. The leaves of the "air-plant" are fleshy and deeply divided and in each notch there is a group of cells, these cells lie dormant so long as the leaf is attached to the growing plant; but shortly after it is removed, they become active and the result is the formation of a new plant complete with roots and leaves. The fleshy leaves contain an abundance of food and the young plants do not have to find food for themselves Until they have exhausted the reserve stock. We have recently pinned leaves to walls; placed them on plant stages and left them lying about in various places with little or no moisture; the result has been the same in each case, a good stock of young plants has soon appeared. We have another interesting plant in flower at the present time in our small greenhouse: this is the Chinese New Year Flower of South China—Enkianthus quingueflorus. It has taken a long time for it to open its pinkish waxy bell-like flowers; but it was worth waiting for. No money has been spent on heating the greenhouse this year and this may have had something to do with the late appearance of the flowers. The flowers cannot be called showy; but they are really beautiful: the young foliage is also very colourful and this, together with the terminal, corymbs of drooping flowers, makes a most harming combination. We note that the plant is protected in Hongkong under Section 3 of the Licensing Ordinance and that a special order was at one time issued prohibiting the cutting of the New Year flower. We wish it was possible to prohibit the cutting down of some of our trees.—WJ-K.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.