October 111), IBM. ] 



JOU11NAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEE. 



325 



IKI'.sixi: HERBSTII m 1; 11 3 

 VEBSCHAFFELTI. 



COLE US 



HE changes of public opinion 

 have been often pointed to 

 :i s an indication of the fal- 

 libility of our nature : ,1 

 fashion cxisis to-day, is 

 given up to-morrow, and 

 again called into favour at a future time. Now, is it right 

 to accuse the general public of this, or arc those who 

 constitute themselves the leaders of fashion to take the 

 blame'.' In general they are ready enough to claim the 

 credit where there is any. and why should they not have 

 the censure? Now in gardening, plans and plan Is are alike 

 subject to the caprice of the time, are for a time extolled 

 beyond their merits, while afterwards, perhaps, thej are 

 equally underrated. The tendency of a large section of 

 the community to run into extremes is the cause of this, 

 but fortunately the freedom of discussion on such ma : 

 saves some valuable plants from In ing entirely written 

 down. The friends who so strenuously a dvi ted their 

 claims in time of prosperity do not always allow them to bo 

 run down without saying a word in their favour: on the 

 contrary, if is not unusual for a sharp controversy to be 

 entered into, in which both Bidi s may to a certain 1 

 be right. Such a controversy has certainly been going on 

 as to the merits of the two plants mentioned above, and at 

 a time when victory has decided in favour of one which on 

 former occasions was vanquished, let us look to the causes 

 which brought about this result. 



It is now several years since Coleus Verschaffelti was first 

 recommended as a bedding plant, and in the hot summers 

 of ] v "i^ and 1859 it had a triumph, but the following sea- 

 son being cold, wet, and sunless, was so decidedly adverse 

 to its progress, that it was at once condemned as a bedder. 

 Since then, however, it has again risen in favour, and with 

 many has asserted its claim to superiority over Perilla 

 nankinensis and Amaranthus melancholicus ruber; but 

 last year a new claimant to fame appeared in number 

 in the shape of Iresine Herbstii. It bad been in probation 

 the year before, but not in sufficient quantity to contend 

 on equal terms with its rival; 1865, however, saw it dis- 

 tributed far and wide. The Col ms also received its meed 

 of patronage ; and as the summer advanced, loud were the 

 praises bestowed by its friends on its superiority over its 

 rival, whose dingy look in some of the London parks after 

 the warm dry weather of dune and early part of Juh was 

 by some thought to be fatal to its reputation. By-and-by, 

 however, the Iresine showed more signs of life, and if 

 September 1865 had been like the pasl September, it is not 

 improbable that the Iresine would have been the favourite. 

 As it was. it required all the energies of its friends to mam- 

 No. 292.— Vol. XI., New Series. 



tain it on a footing with the Col n , andi ei ierprop 

 gation, and being more readibj kepi in winter in p] 

 deficient in stove accommodation, led to il ring in 



greater Force I lian ever in the summer of the p yeai 



and with a re suit different from that of lasl 

 i.. , f the opinion that some had enl irtaini L i to 1 



;t ive 1 il 3 of the two plant ; foi i I in thc- 



on the warm weather of June tart ' the < oL i into 

 growth, and improved its colour, while the same c 

 not only cheeked the progress of the Iresine, but absolutely 

 blea ed the existing foliage into the colour of the I 

 of the Purple Beech when falling in autumn — a d 

 withered-looking brown. Of course 1 tl & 



ii 1 ' uemies to cry it down, but as it could not be replaced! 

 at that time, it had to stand, and the resull b bi en that 

 a liowci weather set in during An nst the 1 

 to grow and improve in colour, while the Coleus remained! 

 stationn it, and by the middle of September i 

 would have given the palm of merit, to the Iri 

 still more so at the present time, when its fri 

 good habit, and admirable colour are all that can ba 

 li d ; while its rival has been going b i ring cei 



to grow several weeks ago, and i; l >'■ e e ha !■■ i that. 

 freshness which gives it beauty. This, I may add, is the- 

 case on the 20th of October, neither of them having re- 

 ceive 1 any harm from frost, and both occupying posil 

 of equal advantage. 



Now these examples teach us plainly enough that 

 two plants require conditions so widely different that they 

 can never compete together on equal terms ; for it i 

 arguing the respective merits of a ridge Cucumber and it. 

 head of Celery, and the friends of each may point out in- 

 tan enough where the one has sue, eed d and the other 

 failed, forgetting that atmospheric conditions have any- 

 thing to do with the matter ; while it is patent to ■ 

 one who takes the trouble to look that the one rejoices in 

 hot sunshine, and the other in moisture, the Celery and 

 Iresine both doing better with the cool, hue/, d iwy nights 

 of autumn than when exposed to the bright glare of a mid- 

 summer's sun. which the Cucumber and Cob i ' lightin. 

 Now, this points out conclusively i nough what ought to be 

 done. The Iresine should not be planted where early- 

 summer decoration is of consequence, unless the situation 

 be shady or damp ; and. on the other hand, omit planting- 

 the Coleus in a situation of the latter kind. It is useh ss 

 for the friends of the Iresii to advise shade and mois- 

 ture in all i they recommend it, for no- 

 worse character can be given to any plant than to state- 

 that it requires some special treatment different from the- 

 generality of plants. How is it possible, or ai lei I prac- 

 ticable, to treat this plant differently from those with which 

 it is associated in a ribbon-border or mixed bi '• a id yet 

 its mosl suitable place is with other plants ? The simplest 

 way of overcoming the difficulty would be to - ty, that in 

 districts where an unusual amount of rain falls during the 

 summer, let the Iresine be employed as mui h a on like;. 

 but where sun rather than rain prevails, and v.l; ire the 

 turf and pastures are burnt up, where Cabbages look blue, 

 and Peas mildew early in the summer, then be sure thai 

 No. WJ.— Vol. XXXVI., Old Sbbieu. 



