78 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



to certain situations which no other class of vegetable objects could 

 supply. We will point out a few : — 



Amaranthus bicolor ruber, bedder ; foliage plant ; bright fiery 

 red, passing to dark bronze at the margin, sometimes tipped with 

 yellow ; described as one of the most striking of its line known. 



Amaranthus melancholicus ruber, very beautiful, and one of the 

 most handsome of foliage bedders that can be raised from seed. 



Beta cicla Praziliensis, bedder ; crimson leaves and golden stalks. 



C ANNAS. 



Cannas are invaluable, and the following are all good : — 



G. annei, G. marginata, G. Bihorellii, good dwarf for small 

 gardens ; G. coccinea vera, G. discolor, C. jloribunda, C. elegantissima, 

 G. grandis, G. gigantea, G. indica superba, C. musoefolia hybrida, 

 foliage silvery shading ; G. Peruviana, C. P. nova, G. purpurea, G. 

 spectabilis magnifica, G. Warcewicsii zebrina, and C. zebrina elegantis- 

 sima, striped. 



Carduus (Scotch thistle), acanthoides, benedictus, marianus, 

 nigrescens, remarkable for form. 



Gentaureas (silvery foliage), ragusina compacta, Glementii. 



Cineraria maritima and C. platanifolia, silvery plants. 



Chamcerops humilis, a most elegant hardy palm. 



Coleus (many varieties, of coloured and edged leaves, some of 

 them almost rivalling the ancectochili in effect), mollis, scutellaroides 

 purpurea (dark purple), Verscliaffeltii, are invaluable. 



Eclieveria metallica, very bold, curious, and handsome. 



Humea elegans, most charmingly elegant ; may be called a 

 " grass," though it is not one. 



Oxalis corniculata rubra, fine edging plant ; deep chocolate. 



Perilla nankinensis, a good poor man's plant, being cheap and 

 easily grown. 



Bicinus, of various kinds, all remarkable in foliage ; grand objects 

 in suitable positions. May be sown where they are to remain, in 

 the mouth of May. 



Wigandia caracasana, foliage picturesque sombre green ; noble 

 habit, some of the leaves being three feet long by two feet broad, 

 richly veined and undulated ; the stem has a crimson pilose covering. 



Li the selection we have thus given will be found the materiel 

 for an almost endless variety of combinations for beds, for borders, 

 or the subtropical garden. To attempt to give a detailed course 

 of treatment for each would be to swell this paper to an inordinate 

 length, and run the risk of being charged with unnecessary tau- 

 tology, their culture having been so exhaustively treated, from time 

 to time, in these pages. It will have sufficed to have called the 

 timely attention of floriculturists to their broad character — a " word 

 in season, how good it is ! " — because seeds should be sown as early 

 as conditions permit. It is not a light labour to wade through 

 catalogues, and make anything like a varied and comprehensive 

 selection therefrom. It is hoped the above will prove useful and 

 acceptable. 



