THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



15 



cuttings may be struck if half-ripe slioots 

 are taken in spring and put in sand over a 

 gentle bottom-lieat, but they are usually 

 grafted on C. alba, which is the safest and 

 surest method of increase. Winter tem- 

 perature, 38^ to 48 1 ; summer temperature, 

 55' to 75'. These are much neglected, but 

 deserve to be grown wherever winter 

 flowers are a desideratum. 



Cyclamen albiflorwm is one of the best 

 of the Persicum section to grow in quan- 

 tity ; they require very little care, and the 

 chief matter is to give sufficient pot room 

 and plenty of water. Slugs will always 

 find them out, if they are in neglected 

 houses ; and at this time, as they are 

 coming into flower, they are often beset 

 with green-fly. Any that want shifting 

 now, through having been potted late, 

 must have a mixture of turfy loam and 

 leaf -mould equal parts, and one-half part 

 very rotten cow-dung. 



Cytisus Atleeana is the best of the class 

 to make fine specimens, but every variety 

 of Cytisus is worthy of culture. Fortu- 

 nately these do not demand the best places 

 in the house ; so that they get sufficient 

 air and water, they are sure to bloom well 

 if in the worst positions as regards light. 

 We stiongly recommend the raising of 

 stock from seed as preferable to cuttings, 

 and more easily trained as bushes, stan- 

 dards, or pyramids. 



Daphne Japonica and rubra, are two 

 most useful shrubs for early bloom ; they 

 require an intermediate house to bloom 

 early. Japonica is strictly a greenhouse 

 shrub, but Odora rubra is nearly hardy, 

 and may be kept in a pit. The only profit- 

 able method of propagating these is to graft 

 them on the common daphne. 



Epaeris nivalis, rubra, pwpzirascem, 

 maxima grand/flora. — What would our 

 spring shows he in the absence of these 

 exquisitely beautiful shrubs ? Grandiflora 

 and miniata are most abundant in their 

 blooming, the whole length of their branches 

 being covered with the hanging blossoms. 

 The plants require considerable skill and 

 care. Like heaths, they must have pro- 

 tection from frost, yet be kept as hardy as 

 possible, and have frequent ventilation. 

 They must be grown slowly, and upon 

 principles of which the grower should have 

 a clear conception from the first. Soil 



two-thirds peat, one-third loam, no more 

 pot room than necessary, plenty of 

 drainage. After flowering, to he boldly 

 pruned into shape, and a dwarf branch- 

 ing habit encouraged by stopping and 

 training. 



Fuchsia Domhiiana is one of the best 

 to train up a pillar in the conservatory for 

 winter bloom. The fine large crimson 

 blossoms have a grand appearance in a 

 house well furnished with flowering and 

 foliage plants. 



Gastrolobium acutum. — A beautiful 

 leguminous evergreen greenhouse shrub, 

 from Swan River; flowers yellow and red ; 

 average height of plant eighteen inches. 

 May be raised from either seeds or cut- 

 tings ; soil, peat principally, made very 

 open and porous. Requires a rather warm 

 house. 



Geranium, Gauntlet, find Crimson King. 

 — These two showy varieties are largely 

 grown for market flowers. For this pur- 

 pose three-year-old plants are alio we 1 to 

 run up to fne or six feet in six oreight-iuch. 

 pots. After a short rest in autumn, they 

 are set to work to furnish blooms from 

 Christmas. We have seen houses of 200 

 feet in length occupied with Gauntlet only, 

 the plants braced back to allow room for 

 collecting the flowers, by means of ropes 

 drawn tight the full length in front of 

 them. In a private establishment these 

 and Alba multiflora should be grown into 

 compact bushes, as the best of all gera- 

 niums for forcing. 



Hovca Manglesii. Natural Order, Legu- 

 minous Plants, Fabacas. Natives of New 

 Holland. — All beautiful greenhouse plants, 

 requiring similar treatment to (Jape heaths ; 

 soil sandy peat, fibry loam, broken char- 

 coal, and pounded bricks ; no manure. 

 Require frequent stopping to make good 

 plants, as they make very long shoots, and 

 soon giow out of shape. They are par- 

 ticularly useful as spring flowers, because 

 their blues and purp es contrast with the 

 yellow flowers now so plentiful under glass. 

 Winter temperature, 45' to do'. Hovea 

 crispa, Genista congesta, Ileliotropium, 

 Hermannia alnifolia, Jasminium ligustri- 

 folium, J. nudiflorum, tree carnations, 

 Cuphea platycentra, Erica hyemalis, E. 

 Wilmoreana all in bloom now. 



