150 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE, 



PLUMBAGO CAPENSIS. 



BY EOBEBT OTJBBIDGE, 



Church Walk Nursery, Stoke Newington, N. 



OW that preparation for the summer bedding is in active 

 progress, it appears desirable to direct attention to this 

 fine old plant, which is now seldom grown, because so 

 few of the modern flower gardeners are acquainted 

 with its merits. It is perhaps one of the most valuable 

 of all plants for furnishing a supply of cut flowers for bouquets and 

 other uses to which they are put ; not only because of the adapt- 

 ability of the flower for working up with other flowers, and the 

 profusion with which they are produced, but because of their 

 peculiar delicacy of colour and thorough distinctness from all others 

 that may be used for the same purposes. The reason that it is so 

 seldom planted out in the open border is undoubtedly due to its 

 being generally believed that it must have the protection of glass at 

 all seasons of the year. It is certainly not so hardy as many other 

 plants employed in flower garden decoration, but it is hardy enough 

 to grow well and flower freely during the summer and autumn 

 months, when planted in a warm, sunny situation. The most suitable 

 position for planting it when grown expressly for supplying cut 

 flowers is against a wall facing nearly or quite due south. 



Previous to planting, a few shovelfuls of either manure, leaf- 

 mould, or fresh loam, or a combination of all three, should be mixed 

 with the staple soil to give the plants a good start. The plants can of 

 course be put out without any preparation, but no one can object to 

 the little trouble occasioned in preparing the ground as here directed. 

 It is of no consequence whether the plants are young or old, but 

 preference should be given to the latter if in good health, because 

 even if they are thin and scrubby in appearance, they will rapidly fill 

 out and soon begin to bloom freely. A few liberal soakings of water, 

 and training the young growth to the wall are all the attentions 

 that will be required after they are planted. 



They are very valuable for edging beds in the flower garden 

 which are filled with rather tall-growing subjects, but they will 

 require pegging down. A few plants put round the outside of beds 

 filled with mixed subtropieals have a very pretty appearance, with 

 the flowers peeping out here and there from the masses of foliage, 

 The best way of employing them is perhaps planting alternately with 

 the scarlet-flowered Bouvardias such as Elegans and Hogarth. The 

 Bouvardias should be planted rather farther apart than would be 

 desirable if the bed was to be filled entirely with them, and the 

 Plumbago planted close enough together, so that in a short time 

 they will completely cover the surface. Young plants should of 

 course be selected, and the young growth pegged down in much the 

 same way as verbenas. If they grow too vigorously, and appear 

 likely to smother the Bouvardias, the shoots must be thinned out. 



