214 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



advised above, and by this means a regular succession can be kept 

 up. A temperature -varying from 55° to GO" must be maintained 

 during the winter months, but they grow freely in the greenhouse 

 during the summer. The best varieties for the dinner table are, 

 Albeit Victor, Queen Victoria, Baroness Rothschild, Princess Moycd, 

 and Bulce of Edinburgh. 



Iresines nest claim our attention, and the most useful is 

 undoubtedly I. Lindenii, which is now universally acknowledged to 

 be the best dark-leaved plant grown for bedding purposes. It is 

 managed here in. the same manner as the Coleus, with the single 

 exception that it requires stopping once, and the side-shoots allowed 

 to break, before being introduced to the table. I. acuminata and 

 I. Herbslii may be used in the same way, but they are by no means 

 so neat in growth or effective in appearance as the lirst named. 

 The compost used here both for Iresines and Coleus consists of one- 

 third each of loam, peat, and leaf-mould, well incorporated together. 

 To this a liberal proportion of sand must be added. 



Dracjenas. — All the best sorts are more or less useful, but the 

 green kinds are not so effective as those with dark highly coloured 

 foliage, which must, however, be grown on quickly, and used when 

 from ten to twelve inches in height. To propagate a stock of young 

 plants, it is a good plan to cut down an old plant, and then cut the 

 stem up into one-inch lengths, and allow the wounds to dry before 

 being inserted in the pots or pans. A large pan, filled with any 

 light sandy compost ; each piece will generally produce from two to 

 three shoots, which may be taken off when large enough (say about 

 two inches in length), and put singly in small pots. If unable to 

 cut down an old plant, turn one out of the pot, and after removing 

 the potsherds, take off the fleshy parts of the roots with a sharp 

 knife and insert them in single pots, and place in a brisk bottom 

 heat. In a few weeks they produce young shoots, and make much 

 better plants than those raised from stem cuttings. The best three 

 of the older dark-leaved kinds are — Terminalis, Terminalis grandis, 

 and Cooperii ; and the two best green kinds are Veitchii and Gracilis. 

 Indivisa is also very good, and may be grown instead of Veitchii if 

 that kind cannot be afforded. 



Acaltpha tricolor is most charming for the table. It 

 requires a stove temperature, and it is necessary to keep it as near 

 the glass as possible, and also well exposed to the sun, to bring out 

 its bright crimson and red variegation ; young plants on single 

 stems are the most desirable. The best compost is prepared by 

 incorporating together two- thirds fibry peat, one-third good turfy 

 loam, and a liberal proportion of silver sand to keep the soil open 

 and porous. 



Having disposed of the most useful kinds with dark leafage, 

 those with golden variegation next claim attention, foremost among 

 which stand the 



Crotons. — These are certainly unsurpassable, for the table, when 

 well grown, and richly coloured. The cuttings should be struck early in 

 the spring, before the old plants start into growth. They should be 

 inserted singly in the smallest size pots, and placed in a brisk bottom 



