24A 



THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 



quiring no pegging; the foliage having 

 a rich deep bluish green colour which 

 shows the flowers to advantage. 

 Having seen this many times during 

 the season, we can recommend it as 

 one of the best bedders ever planted. 

 It will be sent out by Mr. Kirtland, 

 Albion Nursery, Stoke Newington, in 

 May nest. 



Foliage Beddees. — There are 

 three new plants offered as compa- 

 nions to Coleus Verschaffelti, Arna- 

 ranthus melancholicus, etc. They 

 are AMernanthera amcena, A. spathu- 

 lata, and Teleianthera versicolor. 

 These are all natives of Brazil, and 

 all belong to the family of ama- 

 ranths. They agree in certain cha- 

 racteristics, the foliage being of a rich 

 crimson hue, shading to chocolate, 

 with occasional patches of green and 

 orange. It is impossible to say a 

 word as to their value as bedders, 

 that can only be ascertained by actual 

 trial, and as a matter of course they 

 will be tried next summer in many 

 public and private gardens. Plants 

 for propagating from are now being 

 offered by M. Verschaffelt, of Ghent, 

 at 8s. each. Iresine JHJerbstii, sent 

 out in the spring of the present year, 

 has disappointed many. We have 

 seen much of it ; sometimes we were 

 surprised at its beauty, and at other 

 times as much surprised at its appa- 

 rent worthlessness. At South Ken- 

 sington, in the great circular frieze it 

 was truly magnificent ; at Battersea 

 Park it was obnoxious. It will need 

 another season's trial to determine 

 what conditions suit it best, and how 

 we may secure such brilliant effects as 

 it has produced in some instances. 

 Cultivators appear to be generally in 

 favour of giving it a shady position, 

 but the beautitul clumps at South 

 Kensington were in the full sun, 

 and never looked dingy or weak in 

 colouring. 



Standen's Gaedenee's Fbiend, 

 an artificial manure, lately offered by 

 Messrs. Barr and Sugden, will be 

 found the best material of the kind 



for the use of amateurs, being cleanly, 

 inoffensive, and of uniform strength, 

 so that injury to plants by its use is 

 not to be apprehended, except as the 

 result of actual carelessness. When 

 dissolved in water, at the rate of two 

 table-spoonfuls to three gallons, it in- 

 creases the vigour of the plants in a 

 most satisfactory manner, causing the 

 production of large foliage of a fine 

 healthy green hue, and considerably 

 increasing the size, numbers, and 

 beauty of all kinds of flowers. It 

 may be used in the kitchen-garden 

 and amongst bush fruits advan- 

 tageously, merely sprinkling it on the 

 ground being the simplest method. 

 Rains wash it down to the roots, and 

 the crops are finer and more abundant. 

 It i3 sold in canisters quite dry, and 

 may be conveyed any distance with- 

 out injury. Many of the leading 

 growers of chrysanthemums have 

 adopted it, and find it admirable for 

 assisting in the production of flowers 

 for exhibition. 



Tobacco Tissue ia a preparation 

 of tobacco resembling cardboard, and 

 consists wholly of tobacco pressed into 

 the form of a sheet. The advantage 

 of using it is that there is no need of 

 a fumigator, a piece of the tissue 

 broken up and placed on a few hot 

 cinders in a common flower-pot will 

 continue burning till there is not a 

 particle left. Being subjected to im- 

 mense pressure, it is much more pow- 

 erful, comparing weight for weight, 

 than ordinary tobacco ; though the 

 price per pound is only a few pence 

 less than that of tobacco, the cost in 

 the end is not more than half as much. 

 The reason why it can be sold at a 

 lower price, though free from moisture 

 and consisting of pure tobacco, is 

 that the process admits of the use of 

 portions of leaves which are usually 

 wasted. We have used it several 

 times, and can recommend it. Sam- 

 ples for trial may be obtained of 

 Messrs. Roberts and Sons, 54, St. 

 John Street, Clerkenwell, London, 

 E.C. The price is 3s. 6d. per lb. 



