THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE, 15 
is not of much use for cutting, but it is very attractive in the form 
of neat bushes, and to obtain these, you have only to strike cuttings 
of young shoots, and grow them for eighteen months or so, but taking 
care not to over-potthem. Cyclamen persicum furnishes such a large 
number of colours, that the conservatory may be made quite gay 
with them alone. The amateur who may not care for the trouble 
of raising seedlings has only to purchase two or three dozen of nice 
bulbs in July, pot them as soon as received, place in a cold frame, 
and as the autumn comes on remove to a warm greenhouse, or keep 
the pit rather warmer to encourage them to grow freely, and in 
January the plants will be well furnished with flowers, ranging 
in colour from pure white to rich crimson. Camellias may be had 
in variety, one of the most valuable being the old Double White, 
which is such a favourite for bouquets and head dresses. But to 
have camellias fully in bloom early in January, they must be encou- 
raged to make new growth rather early in the spring previous, by 
placing them in a genial temperature just as they are starting into 
growth, and leave them there until it is completed, and the buds 
set. Then with the assistance of very little warmth they may be 
had well in bloom in January. The single, semi-double, and double 
forms of the Chinese Primrose, or Primula sinensis, are most valu- 
able, for like the Cyclamens, they make a good display of themselves. 
The double flowers are very useful for bouquets when properly 
mounted, but the plants are rather difficult to manage, until their 
peculiarities are well understood; and for general decorations are 
surpassed by the single forms. The semi-double primulas are very 
useful, as the flowers are double enough for bouquets, and the stock 
may be raised from seed. The best time for sowing primulas to 
bloom in January, is about the middle of March, and then if they 
are grown on freely during the summer, they will bloom early ; 
it is of very little use to put primulas raised late into a high tem- 
perature, for the warmth favours the production of large leaves, 
and the flowers do not rise well above them. 
Most of the varieties of the Epacris are very fine for flowering 
in January, for their sprays of flowers are very attractive. Hpacris 
hyacinthiflora and its white and red varieties are the best. These 
should be potted in peat and sand, be very carefully watered, and 
be placed in a light, airy position in the greenhouse when making 
new growth. rica hyemalis may also be had nicely in bloom now, 
and neat bushes are very effective in drawing-room decorations. 
There are a few other things that may be mentioned, as belonging 
to the greenhouse, but provided a sufficient number of the camellias, 
cyclamens, and primulas are grown, there will be no lack of 
colour in the greenhouse, or of flowers for cutting. 
The plant stove is of the utmost value in the production of winter 
flowers, and if we have a look through a stove that during the summer 
is not devoted to coleus and other weedy things, we shall find a 
goodly number of plants with flowers. First there is Aphelandrw 
aurantiaca Roezli, which has brilliant orange scarlet flowers, a plant 
not widely known, although very attractive. ‘To secure nice plants 
take the tops off the shoots in March, and insert them in sixties, 
January. 
