94 THE GARDENER. [Feb. 



■which appear in June and July. P. variifolius is of rather larger 

 stature than the preceding, but the colour of the flowers and the time 

 of flowering are the same. P. ilicifolius is about 6 inches high, with 

 pretty dark -green leaves suggestive of miniature Holly - leaves, so 

 bristled are they on the margins with acute, almost spinose, teeth. 

 The flowers are pink, and appear from May till September ; it is, 

 perhaps, the best and most distinct in the family. P. unidenta is about 

 the same height as the last sort, but with violet or purplish blue 

 flowers, appearing from May till August. P. simplex is also about 6 

 inches high, but is less branching than either of the preceding ; the 

 flowers are blue, and produced from May till August. This species is 

 probably biennial ; it is at any rate difficult, if not impossible, to pre- 

 serve in pots over two or three years ; young plants, however, grow 

 and flower best, and should be kept in stock sufficient for the re- 

 quirements. 



TUPA. 



Little generally is known of this magnificent family of Lobeliads in 

 this country ; T. Fueillei, Syn. Lobelia Tufa is the best known, and is 

 to be met with about the Glasnevin and College Botanic Gardens, Dublin, 

 and occasionally at Kew; and as seen in the border extending outside the 

 houses at the first-named place in the months of September and Octo- 

 ber rising to the height of 4 or 5 feet loaded with its brilliant flowers, 

 it will be admitted to have few equals. But, alas ! it is only in such 

 places and in such a border that it can be grown to perfection in the 

 climate of this country without assistance in spring under glass, and 

 the shelter of the same during winter. It is a native of Chili, and will 

 not endure, in most localities, the cold and damp of even our ordinary 

 winters, but it may be lifted in autumn and treated in all respects as 

 recommended for the tall herbaceous Lobelias in a former article. It 

 will not, however, accommodate itself so well to any inferior position 

 out of doors, but must have the most sheltered and warm position pos- 

 sible. It forms a fine pot-plant, and well repays any amount of care 

 and trouble either in pots or planted out that will bring it to perfection. 

 In most parts of Scotland, it is to be feared, it would do little good 

 except as a pot-plant ; but in the south it might be turned to account 

 as a subject for the subtroj^ical garden. The votaries of that system 

 may make a note of it, that they have no more gorgeous subject on their 

 list. It combines the requisites of bold and striking growth, propor- 

 tionally ample foliage, and a profusion of splendid scarlet flowers. In 

 favourable places, too, it might be used with advantage in ordinary 

 bedding-out for the centres of large masses, and for breaking the uni- 

 formity of long lines of borders. Several other species of this fine 

 genus have from time to time been in this country, but with the ex- 



