118 THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 



If the ground is extra strong and liberally manured at the bottom 

 of the trench, sow in rows fifteen inches apart, always remembering 

 that you cannot grow the root too large. Thin to nine inches or a 

 foot when large enough. Take up in November, and store in dry 

 earth or sand ; one row may be left in the ground to furnish a dish 

 of spring vegetable. This is obtained from the rising flower-stems, 

 which are to be cut early or they will be stringy, and cooked in the 

 way of sea-kale. The proper way to cook salsify roots is to boil them 

 until tender in a very small quantity of milk, and then mash them 

 and fry them in butter with salt and pepper. But it may be cooked 

 in the same way as parsnips, which, you will remember, should be 

 boiled slowly in the smallest possible quantity of water, until tbey 

 are almost in a melting condition. If boiled fast in plenty of water, 

 the flavour of parsnips and salsify is all washed away, and lost for 

 ever. 



Scoezoneba is cultivated as salsify, but, being a stronger 

 grower, needs rather more room. S. H. 



A NOTE ON BEDDING COLEUS. 



BY AN AMATETJB. 



;OLEUS are very valuable for bedding purposes, but they 

 are very often omitted in lists of bedding plants, chiefly 

 because many are under the impression that they cannot 

 be kept without a stove to preserve them during winter. 

 This is a mistake, for, with little or no trouble, they may 

 be kept in an ordinary greenhouse or plant pit. The way that I should 

 recommend is that cuttings be taken about the middle of August, 

 and inserted closely together in six-inch pots or pans, partly filled 

 with crocks. Use a compost of light leaf-mould and loam, with a 

 little silver sand. Then plunge the pots into a slight bottom-heat 

 until the cuttings are well rooted. Erom thence transfer them to a 

 shelf in the greenhouse, keeping them in a temperature of about 40° 

 to 45°, and the atmosphere as dry as possible. Water them about 

 once a fortnight, merely to keep them alive. In February, put 

 them into three-inch pots, when they will soon make excellent 

 plants. The sorts best suited for bedding are, Princess of Wales, 

 VerscTiqffelti, and Emperor Napoleon, but I consider Versclwffelti is 

 the best. 



This is not, perhaps, the most seasonable period for giving 

 advice for wintering Coleus, but I have called attention to the 

 matter now, so that those who like them can buy a stock now, and 

 enjoy their beauty during the coming summer, and also have plants 

 for furnishing a supply of cuttings in the autumn. A rather warm 

 position should be selected for planting the Coleus. 



