1919.] BEDDING PLANTS FOR TRINIDAD. 23 



day. They form pretty, v/ell shaped plants, and make quite a 

 show at two months from seed, continuing up to 5 or 6 months old, 

 when they maj^ be cut back, the beds well manured and the plants 

 allowed to shoot again, producing at this second flowering just as good 

 a show of flowers. Once established in the garden, self sown seedlings 

 will be found abundantly. 



Scutellaria coccinea.—Thh plant is one of the best scarlet perennials 

 for general purposes. It grows from a foot to eighteen inches in 

 height and is nearly al\vay3 in flower. "When it begins to get shabby 

 it can be cut hard back, the bed dug and manured, and in a short time 

 is again in full flower. In this way it will occupy a bed for a very 

 long time. 



Thunhercjia erecia.— There are two varieties, blue and white. They 

 form neat shrubs a few feet in height which flower abundantly. 

 Propagated by cuttings or seeds. 



Turnera.—A. low growing, bushy shrub, producing an abundance of 

 sulphur coloured flowers violet at the base about 2 in. in diameter. 

 Leaves small about 2 in. by 1 in. and indented. It makes a good display 

 during the morning, the flowers closing before noon. It is readily 

 propagated by division, suckers or seeds. 



Vincas— Old Maids or Periwinkles, often serve a useful purpose as 

 edgings or ground work to beds or borders. The white variety can be 

 seen at the Red House Grounds, helping to hide the formal concrete 

 edges to the x'oads. 



Vincas are natives of the West Indies, and for this reason many 

 people are apt to look down upon them and not give them the position 

 in the garden they deserve. They are most useful, hardy plants, 

 rank in point of beauty with many of the more tender exotics, and 

 flower throughout the whole year. 



There are three varieties the pink, the white, and the white with 

 a red centre. Propagated either by cuttings or seeds. At Kew the 

 Vincas were found very difficult to propagate and most success was 

 obtained from cuttings in pure sand. They were used there annually 

 as a border to the porch of the water lily house with good eflect. 



BULBOUS AND TUBEKOUS ROOTED PLANTS. 



Caladiums are good for planting in beds or garden vases during 

 the wet season. In the dry season they should be taken up and 

 placed in pots. Good tubers of bright coloured varieties should be 

 imported. 



Cannas are amongst the best flowering plants, as if properly treated 

 an almost unbroken supply of flowers can be obtained from the same beds 

 for several years. Cut down the old flower stems quite close to the 

 ground immediately after the flowers drop as there are plenty of 

 young shoota coming to take their place. 



Cannas are gross feeders and will take liberal supplies of manure 

 with advantage. They may be propagated either by seed or by 



