THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 45 



tender to be planted out, or even placed in tlie open air. It is of 

 small dimensions, reaching three feet high at the utmost, and usually 

 less. 



C virens. — A very elegant and intensely green species, rising 

 eighteen inches high. "Well worth having. 



C Killingioides. — Yery elegant, dwarf and tufted. A very pretty 

 plant for indoor fountains, also to put out in July, August, and 

 ISeptember. 



WIGAKDIA. 



We have now to deal "with a plant which has acquired immense 

 renown for its noble character and ready ^adaptation to the system 

 of planting out in summer in English gardens. I first saw this used 

 as a bedding plant in Paris, and in common with many other folks 

 was astonished at its beauty. Conceive as you may of the beauty of 

 leaves, it will be difficult to imagine the effect of this plant even 

 with the most vivid description. I shall be content to say that the 

 leaves are of a sombre green, boldly veined and undulated, and mea- 

 sure two to three feet in length and breadth. When planted out in 

 beds it has a superb appearance, but in a small garden I do not think 

 beds of this plant would be in good taste — a few plants here and 

 there would be far better. It is useless to keep old specimens, as 

 they become unhealthy, and it is difficult to keep them. Therefore, 

 only a few should be kept to furnish cuttings, or they must be raised 

 from seeds, a matter of no difficulty. Sow the seeds in shallow pans 

 at the end of Februarj', place the pans on a heat of 70^, and as soon 

 as the plants are large enough to handle, remove them into small 

 pots. Any light rich soil suits them when in pots, and when planted 

 out the soil should be deep, rich, and well drained. If planted in a 

 mass they must be three feet apart. 



W, caracasana is the best, but some seedsmen supply seed of 

 IV. urens, an inferior kind, for it. I cannot say who supplies it true 

 and who false ; all I can do is to state the fact that many amateurs have 

 been deceived by spurious seed and have concluded (erroneously) 

 that the plant was not worth growing. Of course a certain remedy 

 for this is to obtain old plants, and propagate from cuttings. 



GEEVILLEA. 



This noble shrub has a fine effect when planted to stand alone 

 on a grass plot, or in the centre of a raised bed. It has the grace 

 of a fern and the character of a tree, and will attain any height, ac- 

 cording to its age and the care bestowed upon it. Nothini^ could be 

 more proper than to place it in this list, for it is most difficult to 

 increase it by cuttings, and hence it has hitherto been scarce. But 

 seeds are now sent from Algiers, and there ought to be no difficulty 

 in obtainiog them. 



G. rohusta is the best for planting out. But better than planting 

 is to plunge the plant in its pot in a shady, sheltered place, taking 

 care to place an inverted empty pot beneath it to preserve perfect 

 drainage, for much damp at the root is most injurious to this beautiful 

 subject. 



