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NEaLECTED PLANTS TOR STJM^LER FLOWERIXa. 



IRECTLYthe beauty of the show and fancy pelargoniums 

 is over, we hear a great outcry on all sides of there 

 being a scarcity of flowering plants with which to 

 decorate the conservatory. This is more imaginary 

 than real. There are hosts of plants which, if they 

 had justice done them, would go far to enliven the conservatory, and 

 relieve the monotonous appearance which those structures present 

 that have not a stove to supply them with fine foliage plants through 

 July and August. In the ordinary course of things, I do not agree 

 with growing indoors those plants which are quite hardy and do not 

 require protection ; but I have three old subjects, two of which are 

 nearly forgotten. The present generation of horticulturists are so 

 taken with the gaudy colouring of the flower-garden, and all are so 

 anxious to outdo their neighbours in the brilliancy of the display, 

 that they have little time and less room to grow many plants that 

 are considerably more beautiful than huge masses of scarlet and 

 other coloured geraniums. The first subject that I am desirous of 

 calling attention to is grown at present rather extensively out of 

 doors, on account of the usefulness of its flowers for making winter 

 bouquets. Helichrysums have long been favourites with all classes 

 for the above-mentioned purpose, and are treated accordingly. I shall 

 therefore have nothing to say about that mode of growing them. It is 

 not generally known that they make the prettiest plants imaginable 

 grown in pots for indoors. All plants raiseel from seed vary more 

 or less in the quality of the flowers, and have a certain amount of 

 grossness about them, which those raised from cuttings are free 

 from. To make the most of the Helichrysums for this kind of work, 

 they should be raised from cuttings. The cuttings should be put in 

 at once, and treated exactly the same as cuttings of verbenas, heli- 

 tropes, and plants of that class. It is a very good plan to make 

 sure of cuttings by cutting back a few plants of those with fine 

 flowers. They will soon push again, and a plentiful supply is the 

 result. The cultivation is extremely simple. Instead of leaving the 

 cuttings crowded together the same as those plants mentioned, they 

 should be potted off soon after they are rooted into three-inch pots, 

 kept in them all the winter, and receive the protection of a pit or 

 greenhouse sufficient to keep the frost from them. In March they 

 are transferred into five or six-inch pots at the option of the cultivator, 

 and in these they are allowed to flower, which they do beautifully 

 through July, lasting a surprisingly long time in a capital condition. 

 Good loam mixed with a liberal proportion of rotten manure is all 

 that they require in the shape of soil. With very little trouble, 

 pretty little plants about a foot or eighteen inches high, and witli 

 heads of bloom as much through, can be had in any quantity. 

 H. CcmjyosUinn maximum, ai:d its three varieties, with rose, scarlet, 

 and yellow flowers ; H. Jlacranthum, II. jllacranthur/i nanum, and 

 H. ruhrum, are all good. 



Trachellnm cceruleum is the next subject to handle. It has been 



TOL. III. — >-0. X. 20 



