TO THE FLOWER GARDEN. 201 



NICOTIANA. Tobacco. [Solanacese.] An extensive 

 genus, the species mostly hardy annuals. The most interest- 

 ing is the N. tahacum, or Virginian Tobacco, of which several 

 varieties, all having rose-coloured flowers, are pretty enough 

 to be introduced sparingly into large miscellaneous flower- 

 borders : they grow fi'om three to six feet high, according to 

 the soil and climate. N. Lamjsdorjpi, with green flowers and 

 blue anthers, is rather pretty. Of the common annual 

 species the seeds may be scattered over the borders in April, 

 and a single plant left here and there where there is room 

 for it. The Virginian Tobacco must be sown in a warm 

 frame in April, and treated like a half-hardy annual, being 

 planted out in May, to produce fine blooming plants. From 

 the size to wliich tliese plants grow, with their ample foliage, 

 they should always be planted singly. Seeds are produced in 

 abundance, bv which thev are increased. 



NIEREMBERGIA. " [Solanacea?.] Pretty half-hardy 

 herbs, suitable for the flower garden and for small beds. 

 Sandy loam and peat. Cuttings in sand during summer. 

 The plants must be wintered in a dry airy greenhouse, with 

 precaution against damp. They may be planted out in May. 

 N. f/racilis, flowers white and lilac. 



NIGELLA. Fennel Flower, or Devil-in-a-Bush. 

 [Ranunculaceae.] Hardy annuals, requiring only to be sown 

 ia the open border in March, and again in May, and the 

 plants thinned to three or four inches apart, six or eight being 

 left in a patch. The flowers have a singular form and highly 

 curious appearance. 



NIGHTSHADE. See Solanu^e. 



NIPHJ5A. [Gesneracefe.l Pretty dwarf free-flowering 

 tuberous-rooted stove perennials, allied to Achimenes. They 

 may be bloomed in a temperature but slightly warmer than 

 that of a greenhouse, the additional warmth being principally 

 required at the time of starting the tubers into growth. 

 They should be grown in flat wide pots, in a compost of 

 three-fourths leaf-mould to one-fourth loam and sand. During 

 winter they should be kept quite dry. N. ohlonga and A^ 

 ruhlda flower white. 



NIPHOBOLUS. [Polypodiaceoe.] Greenhouse neat- 

 growing creeping simple-leaved ferns. Turfy peat. Divi- 



