THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 337 



pans placed in a cucumber frame, and tlie plants grown on in much 

 the same manner as balsams. Some of our specimens are three feet 

 high, and perfect pyramids of bloom. Cyclamens are grown largely. 

 I have quite one hundred specimens, representing all the shades of 

 colour found in these lovely flowers. These are grown ia the usual 

 way. jEpacrises, of which I have about a score nice plants, con- 

 tribute much to the beauty of the conservatory. Erica hyemalis 

 and E. gracilis are also most attractive, and the best of the winter- 

 flowering Heaths. These all have the young shoots cut rather hard 

 back, soon after shifted into larger pots, kept in a frame for a month 

 or so, and then placed out of doors for the remainder of the season. 

 Managed in this way, it is astounding how well they bloom. Pri- 

 mulas, crimson and white, are, like the Cyclamens, grown in quan- 

 tities ; and to maintain a succession of bloom, we sow seed early in 

 March, and again late in April. Rhododendron jasminijlorum and 

 its varieties are charming for winter, for they require very little 

 attention beyond being well supplied with water. Of the varieties 

 I have Princess Alice, blush, very fragrant. Princess Helena, pink, 

 and Princess Roi/al, rich rose. Salvia splendens and S.fuljens are 

 both very attractive, and large specimens are readily produced. My 

 plan is to strike a sufficiency of cuttings, grow them on freely until 

 the end of May, and then plant them in a bed or border of rich 

 soil. They are stopped twice in the course of the summer, and 

 towards the end of September are lifted and put in pots, according 

 to their size. They soon commence to bloom, and make a brilliant 

 display. 



We will now turn to the stove plants, and I will briefly indicate 

 a few of the most useful. Aphelandra aurantiaca Boezli has dark 

 bronzy green leaves, and spikes of briUiaut orange scarlet flowers. 

 Centropogon Luct/anus has trusses of tubular-shaped, rose-coloured 

 flowers. Eranthemum pulc/iellum is of small growth, and has deep 

 blue flowers. Poinsettia pulcherrima may be considered one of 

 the most attractive of winter flowers, and is well known for its large 

 terminal heads of rosy scarlet bracts. Euphorbia jacquinasflora is 

 held in high repute, for its branchlets, when well furnished with 

 bloom, are most valuable for head-dresses. Scutellaria mocciniana 

 is also very attractive, and a general favourite. These are all grown 

 in much the same manner. Early in March four or five cuttings are 

 inserted round the side of a three-inch pot, and these are shifted on 

 as required, until they are put in six or eight inch pots, according to 

 their size. As the cuttings are not divided, as many pots of each 

 kind must be filled with cuttings, according to the number of speci- 

 mens required. Eucharis amazonica, from which we obtain large 

 numbers of pure white flowers, is rather peculiar in its require- 

 ments. It may be had in bloom at any season of the year ; but to 

 insure its flowering at midwinter, the plants require repotting in 

 May and to be grown on freely, until the new gro^-th is comfjleted. 

 Then they must be removed to a cooler position, and kept rather dry 

 at the roots until the early part of November, when, by placing 

 them in a warmer corner, and supplying liberally with water, they 

 will soon commence to produce their lovely flowers. We have just 



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