i88i.] CENTROPOGON LUCIANUS. 207 



at the end of May, and planted out probably early in June. I 

 do not anticipate any serious check to the development of the 

 fruit, some of which most probably will be ripe by the middle of 

 July, and the plants will continue in bearing till injured either by 

 frost or disease. Of course it is impossible, in many cases, to grow 

 the full number of plants in this manner. Here, for instance, fifty 

 will be so prepared, these being destined for the hottest walls, those 

 intended for the borders clear of the walls being sown later, and not 

 allowed to get so much root-bound and drawn up as often is the case. 

 With me the earliest bed of Lettuces is usually followed by Toma- 

 toes, manuring freely and disposing the plants in lines at least 2 feet 

 apart, and about 18 inches asunder in the lines, placing a strong stake 

 to each at once. In this position the heaviest crops usually result. 

 Manure is also freely worked in for those at the foot of the walls, 

 planting these about 15 inches apart. In each instance the plants 

 are grown with a single stem, are kept carefully trained, have all side 

 shoots closely rubbed out, are watered during dry weather, and 

 occasionally with liquid manure, and early in the season are freely 

 mulched with half-rotten manure. Under this treatment nothing but 

 disease prevents very profitable crops resulting. It is the late ripen- 

 ing, consequent upon haphazard culture, that most frequently ends in 

 disappointment. W. Iggulden. 



CENTROPOGON LUCIANUS. 



This charming plant is not met with in the majority of gardens ; 

 and even where it is allowed a place in the stove, it is too often kept 

 for the sake of maintaining a variety. Under such circumstances, its 

 real beauty and usefulness can never be appreciated. That it is well 

 grown in some establishments there can be no doubt, especially where 

 an effort is made to produce flowers for decorative purposes during 

 winter and spring, for which it is invaluable and very effective when 

 well cultivated. Its habit of flowering profusely during winter should 

 alone commend it to growers, without considering the length of time 

 it will continue to produce its flowers in succession, — commencing as 

 it does in November, at the termination of the shoots, and then 

 breaking back and blooming all the way down the stem; in fact, 

 during winter and spring it will continue to grow a little and then 

 produce flowers, keeping the stove gay long after the latest Poinsettias 

 and Euphorbias are over ; and on this account the Centropogon should 

 be grown in quantity. 



The habit of this plant is somewhat straggling, if an attempt is 

 made to grow specimen plants, or doubtless it would long ago have 

 figured in the front rank at our autumn and spring exhibitions. 

 Nevertheless, it could be grown and trained to look effective for this 



