416 



HORTlCULTURi: 



October 21, 1905 



maf^ses, mixed plantings are more ta.-teful and of more 

 lasting attraction. 



Illustration Xo. 3 shows a mixed bed of the following 

 plants : Standard heliotrope, cannas. Artemesia stel- 





leriana. Salvia splendens, geraniums, Coleus jn var.. 

 Begonias in var., iresines, Impatiens Holstii, Celosia 

 cristata, Cuphea llavea, C. platycentra, Abutilon Savit- 

 zii. Lobelia Crystal Palace Gem, Centanrea candidissima 

 and Thymus varLigata. The standard heliotropes are 

 about 3 feet high and the underplanting covers the 

 naked stems. Of the plants herein named Impatiens 

 Holstii^ Celosia cristata, the cupheas and thymus arc 

 Avorthy of more general culture. 



The one bedding plant which above all is worthy of 

 more general recognition by the commercial grower is 

 the easy-grown, thankful-blooming all-around adaptable 

 begonia in its many varieties and types. It beats the 

 geranium in every respect, and why it is not more 

 grown and put on the market, two to every geranium, is 

 a mystery to me. The public does not want it? I sav 

 it does. We had the best geranium beds this year wo 

 ever had, until a rainy spell came along and spoiled 

 them for good. Eight next to them are the begonias in 

 all their glory of foliage and blossoms, just as good as 

 ever, rain or shine. There is a bed of twelve varieties 



grown from cuttings, viz.: B. Vesuvius, Triumph de 

 Lorraine, Boule de Xeigc, Glory de ^Montel, Erfordii, 

 Weltoniensis, Camele Blanc, Berna, Gracilis, Vernon 

 semperdorcns, Vernon semp., alba and ]'.. Bijou. 



There is another bed of Vernon type .seedlings with 

 the Erfordii as a border, and they are todaj', the 6th of 

 October, as beautiful and perfect as they were two and 

 three months ago. Illustration No. 4. I say to you, 

 commercial florists, grow begonias. Even the tuberous 

 begonia should be used more generally as a bedding 

 plant ; for with proper soil, drainage and liberal water- 

 ing it will stand more sunlight than it is given credit 

 for. 



Another plant that in my opinion is not enough used 

 as a general bedding plant is Vinca rosea and alba. 

 How easy and inexpensive is its production and how 

 gratefully it blooms from the very beginning to the very 

 last day of the season. Illu.?tration No. 5 show^s a 

 naiiow bed of same with a collection of cannas and a 

 bolder of ageratuni. the vinca and the ageratum making 

 IS fine 1 display of our national colors as they are grace- 

 ful m till ir comljination of foliage and flowers. 



Other good plants for bedding and not enough used 

 lie Cyperus gracilis, C. alternifolius, C. papyrus, Heli- 

 anthus cucumerifolius, Cochia scoparia, Perilla Nanki- 

 nensis lacinata, Irosine Lindeni, I. aurea reticulata, I. 

 \\allissii Lobelia cardinalis, Lobelia tenior, Abutilon 

 Si\it7i fancy-leaved caladiums, Viola eornuta, Pilea 

 ,-( ip^hfolia. Gnnplialium lanatum, G niinatum, San- 



tolina tomentosa, Grevillea robusta, Carax Japonica, C. 

 Vilmorini, Stevia variegata, torenias, lantauas and 

 gomphrena. 



The progressive commercial florist, on whom the 

 flower-loving public has to depend for its own progress 

 in floriculture and the ornamentation of its home- 

 grounds, should give this matter more attention. The 

 private gardener can give him good points along this 

 line and this is one of the reasons why commercial flor- 

 ists and private gardeners should as brothers of one 

 craft become more closely affiliated than they are today. 



I should be pleased if these lines would bring forth 

 an exchange of ideas both as to the value of plants 

 herein mentioned and others as being worthy of more 

 general culture, the best way of bringing same about 

 and methods of closer affiliation. 



