of Rural Art and T'aste. 



199 



for several reasons : They are readily propa- 

 gated by division, while cuttings of the stem 

 or leaves root freely in a slight bottom-heat ; 

 they are moreover easily grown, are profuse 

 flowerers, and their flowers and sprays come 

 in very useful for cutting, especially as one or 

 two of the species are perpetual bloomers. 



B. Dregei, when well grown, is one of the 

 prettiest of decorative plants. B. loelfoniensis 

 is still more showy. The scarlet-flowered B. 

 fuchsioidcs and the large rosy-flowered B. 

 nitida flower all the year round, if trained up 

 the wall of a warm, sunny conservatory or 

 greenhouse. 



A Begonia in a hanging basket looks like a 

 fish in water, i. e., quite at home. If the foli- 

 age is colored or variegated, its tints look 

 richer when seen between the eye and the 

 light, while some of the dwarf and scarlet 

 species make the most elegant of basket plants. 



As to the kinds most suitable for basket 

 work, nearly all may be used, except the very 

 tallest growers ; and the best way is to begin 

 with small plants, rooted cuttings in fact, 

 which can then be trained as required. B. 

 fuchsioides, B. hybrida vmltijiora, B. insig- 

 7iis, B. Daviesii, B. foliosa, B. Dregei, B. 

 Saufidersii, B. Ledeiti^ and numerous sub- 

 varieties, are all good, while all the orna- 

 mental-leaved vai-ieties look better in baskets 

 than elsewhere. — Garden. 



Salvia gesiierteflora is mentioned by the 

 Florist as one of the finest of decorative plants 

 for the conservatory during the winter and 

 spring months. It was raised at Lyon, from 

 Columbian seeds, and large bushes of it, more 

 than three feet high, were grown in that estab- 

 lishment, and were a blaze of scarlet from No- 

 vember till April. As a species it is allied to 

 S. fulgens {cardinalis)^ but S gesncrcBjlora 

 flowers through the autumn and winter, and 

 holds its flowers well, while S. fulgens is a 

 summer species, and the blossoms soon fall. 

 It is one of the very best of the Salvias for 

 decorative purposes during the winter period. 



Cissus Discolor. — When this old and 

 well-known climber is well grown, there is 

 none that surpasses it in fjeauty. The soil 

 should be a combination of sandy peat and 



strong, fibrous loam, with well decomposed 

 hot-bed and old cow-dung, and silver sand. 

 Being a very rapid grower, it requires a rich 

 soil. It also requires shading, otherwise the 

 rich coloring will fade quickly. It loves plenty 

 of atmospheric moisture. Care must also be 

 taken not to syringe the foliage ; wherever 

 water falls, it spoils the metallic luster. I have 

 grown it in several ways — on a flat trellis and 

 on a wire balloon ; either way it is very beau- 

 tiful. I have also grown it trained up with 

 Thunbergia Harrisii ; the lovely blue flowers 

 of the latter, intermixed with the Cissus dis- 

 color, had a charming effect. — Journal of Hor- 

 ticulture. 



The Coming Rose — Of the Baron Yon 

 Moltke Rose, English gardeners of good 

 authority say, that it is vigorous, a free 

 bloomer, foliage ample, shape excellent, the 

 most scarlet of any rose raised. And it has 

 one charm, wantii\g in so many new roses — it 

 is deliciously fragrant. 



New Bedding Plants. — " I am inclined 

 to think very highly of Lobelia Mazarine 

 Blue. In a mass, and at a distance, it has a 

 more true-blue effect (and what commenda- 

 tion can be higher than this) than any other 

 summer bedding plant I am acquainted with. 



3Iyosotis Kni2>ress Elizabeth will, I 

 think, prove an acquisition. It remained in 

 bloom with me last year the whole season. 



Trojmeolam Cooperi still maintains the 

 high character stamped upon it by Mr, D. 

 Thompson, and resists frost better than most 

 kinds. 



Celosia Iluttoni bedded beautifully, and 

 was very distinct in shape and growth. — 

 Journal of Horticulttire. 



A hlgh-pticed Plant — At an auction 

 sale of plants in Southgate, England, a fine 

 plant of the Cocos Weddeliana (8 feet by 7), 

 sold for $145, and highest of the high, "yl?i- 

 thurium i^-eherzeriaiium,^'' one of the original 

 plants, and the finest specimen with the 

 highest colored flowers in existence, for $3.30. 



Pest Poses under Glass. — S. Reynolds 

 Hole says, " My best are the Marechal, Mar- 

 quise de Castellane, La France, Mdlle. Eu- 

 genie Verdier, Francois Michelon, Paul Neron. 



