JOURNAL OF HORTICULTDEB AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



r Jane 14, 1877. 



protector, and finches and other birds follow him from place to 

 place when visitors are not too numerous. — J. W. 



ABUTILONS AND THEIK CULTUEE. 

 Like 'many other greenhouse plants Abntilons have made 

 great strides of late years in the improved quality of their 

 flowers, and still greater in the dwarf habits of the plants. 

 Abntilons are natives of Brazil, therefore require a greenhouse 

 temperature ; and the soil which is most sucoesBful for their 



growth is half of tnrfy loam and half of well-decayed leaf soil 

 with a good sprinkling of silver sand, the whole to be well 

 mixed together. The plants are propagated by seed and from 

 cuttings : the last is the better plan. Select a cutting about 

 6 inches long ; make a clean cut below the axil of the leaf, but 

 do not remove the lower leaves unless they are in contact with 

 the soil, for it is important to have the foliage cover the pot 

 aa much as possible, and likewise on account of the flowers 

 which will then be produced from the axils of the lower leaves. 

 Insert each cutting in a thumb-pot which has been filled with 



Fig. 61.— Aedtilon Bos.T;rLoRu?i. 



sandy soil, and place in a Cucumber frame or pit where a little 

 bottom heat is provided. Keep moist and close for a few days, 

 and shade from the sun to prevent flagging. When the roots 

 are seen through the bottom of the pot give a shift into a 

 CO-pot, for no plant for decorative purposes should have large 

 shifts, or the flowering pots are too large for vases. Next shift 

 into a small 48-pot and then the plants will commence bloom- 

 ing profusely, each having from twelve to twenty flowers, the 

 plants being only B inches to a foot in height. If the plants 

 are kept iu those small flowering pots a little weak manure 

 water will be beneficial. Abutilons are valuable for affording 

 cut floweru during the winter. Those who have bouquets to 

 make have only toi take the pistil out of such varieties as Boule 

 de Neige, and the pure white flowers are the more acceptable. 



The best Abutilons of recent years are Bosfc&orum and 

 Prince of Orange, which Mr. B. S. Williams has sent out this 

 year, and which have been so greatly admired at the shows. 

 The former has rose-coloured flowers and is very distinct, and 

 the latter is orange-red, the plants being of dwarf habit and 

 free- flowering. Add to these Boule de Neige, pure white; 

 Darwinii, reddish orange, dwarf and free ; striatum, orange 

 and purple ; and ignea, purple. The two last-named are strong 

 growers and do well in a greenhouse and conservatory as stan- 

 dards. The above are eix of the most useful varieciea on 

 account of their good foliage and handsome flowers, and are 

 particularly suitable for decorative purposes ; while A. marmo- 

 ratum and A. Thompsoni are eiJeetive fine-foliaged plants, the 

 latter being suitable for flower-garden decoration during the 



