iSyi.] PLANTS FOR TABLE DECORATION. 461 



frame is at hand ; secondly, it may be had at any time of the year by a 

 little forethought in striking ; and, thirdly, its beauty is improved by 

 candle-light rather than otherwise. One way of growing this Coleus 

 is to pinch it at every joint (or nearly so), but I have generally found 

 it ready enough to break out into the pyramidal shape without any 

 pinching whatever. This shape I consider looks best on the table, and 

 the leaves are a much larger size than when pinching is resorted to. 

 Where plants are required for the table at all times of the year, it is a 

 good plan to strike a few cuttings very often, say every two months ; 

 they will strike standing about in the stove or in a dung-frame. As 

 soon as they are rooted, pot off into small pots ; and as soon as the pots 

 are nearly full of roots, shift them to the size pot you use on the table — 

 4-inch pots are large enough; keep them near the glass, and never 

 shade after they are rooted, or they will not be so dark in colour as 

 when fully exposed to the sun. Loam, leaf-mould, and dung in equal 

 parts, v/ith a sprinkling of silver-sand, is a good mixture for them; and 

 when their work on the table is done, if shifted to larger pots they will 

 soon make very large plants. I have tried about a dozen of newer 

 varieties with the same result, but like the Verschaffeltii best. 



CALADIUM ARGYRITES. 



This is a very useful plant for the dinner-table, and one that gives 

 very little trouble where there is a stove. About the beginning of 

 March I generally look over the bulbs, which are then at rest, turn 

 them out of their pots, and repot them in the following soil — turfy 

 loam, leaf-mould, and very old cow-dung in equal parts, with a sprink- 

 ling of silver-sand. I have generally found the Caladium to last longer in 

 a growing state, and also to make much larger leaves, if the bulbs are 

 put into small pots first and then shifted to larger ones as soon as they 

 have filled their pots with roots. The size of the pots we use on the 

 table here are 4|- inch — accordingly the bulbs are put first into 3-inch 

 pots, and when full of roots shifted into 4J-inch pots. When potting, 

 it is a good plan to put a large bulb in the centre of the pot, with 

 three or four smaller ones round it ; this will bring the tallest and best 

 leaves in the centre of the plant. As the plants are not required here 

 till late in the summer, I only give enough water after potting to 

 settle the soil about the bulbs ; they are then put on a shelf in the 

 stove until they start into growth, when water is given whenever it is 

 required, until their beauty is past, when they may be returned to the 

 shelf to gradually dry off. W. Nokes. 



