16 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN G-UIDE. 



keeping near the glass will be all they will require, until they begin 

 to crowd one another, when they must be potted singly into four- 

 inch pots in a mixture of equal parts loam, leaf-mould, and quite 

 rotten manure. Grrow them until the middle of May, then gradually 

 harden them in frames, and plant out in the first week in June. 



NICOTIANA. 



iV. Wigandioides. — This is the finest of all the species of tobacco 

 grown in our gardens, attaining the height of six to ten feet, with 

 leaves over two feet long and one foot wide. The young leaves are 

 beautifully silvered ; the flowers are dull dirty white. 



N. glauca. — A grand tree form of tobacco, and a very striking 

 object when planted out in a mixed border, or as a single tree on a 

 lawn. The leaves are highly glaucous, and the flowers of a greenish 

 yellow colour. It requires a deep rich soil. 



N. Havanensis. — This is the true Havannah tobacco, and may 

 be interesting to many cultivators, but it is less ornamental than 

 the two previously described. The whole plant is downy and sticky ; 

 the flowers are rose colour. 



N. Marijlandica, — A fine strong-growing kind, handsome and 

 efiective, with bright rosy flowers. 



There are many species of tobacco in cultivation, and the favourite 

 for many years has been N. Virffiniana. This certainly is well 

 worth a place in the garden, and is especially well adapted for 

 planting on bauks and rockeries. But I have named four especially 

 because of their noble characters and the possibility of growing^ 

 them in the open ground has but lately been proved. These need 

 not be sown till the first week in February, and they require less 

 heat than advised for the Solanums ; 60' will be sufiicient for the 

 seed pans. But if it is desired to have fiue examples for planting, 

 and there are conveniences for growing them on to some size under 

 glass, they may be sown at once in the same manner as advised for 

 the Solanums. 



CANIS-AS. 



These noble plants deserve all the popularity they have acquired.^ 

 They are particularly well adapted for sheltered spots, because if 

 exposed to wind their leaves are torn. Here we have forms that are 

 truly tropical, and colours rich and deep, sucl^ as scarcely any other 

 plants present us either in leaf or flower. A rich deep soil is essen- 

 tial to their well doing, and they may have water in any quantity 

 from the middle of June to the middle of August. They make a - 

 good effect if mixed with gladioli, for these last are deficient of/ 

 leafage which the cannas compensate admirably. The seeds shoiild 

 be sown early in the year, and be placed in a heat of 70' to 80\ 

 Some growers plunge them in water at 150' or higher for about 

 twenty-four hours, but I have always succeeded in getting the seed 

 to germinate without putting myself to so much trouble. _ It is much 

 easier for amateurs to raise them from seed than to multiply them by 

 off'sets. The latter should be separated in April and be carefully 

 potted in light sandy soil, and be placed on a heat of 70' to start 



