364 THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 



Thus treated, this fine Pentstenion will bloom from the end of June 

 to September, and produce abundance of seeds, which should again 

 be sown as above stated, for in reality the plant is not more than a 

 biennial, and requires to be raised every year from seed to keep up a 

 succession. When an account of this plant was first published, it 

 was stated to be a perennial, and this led many to suppose it was 

 difficult to preserve for any length of time. 



JUSTICIA CARNEA. 



[OME plants, though really valuable, grow so rapidly 

 and form specimens with so little skill and care, that 

 good growers seem to consider them unworthy of atten- 

 tion, and they soon fall into unmerited neglect, through 

 being left to the care of indifferent cultivators. To this 

 class belongs the plant at present under notice, which, although of 

 the easiest possible culture, forming superb specimens in a very short 

 time, and blooming most profusely two or three times in a season, 

 is seldom met with except in a neglected state. Those who had 

 the pleasure of seeing the fine example of this Justicia which was 

 exhibited in the Horticultural Society's rooms some years ago, will 

 readily agree with me when I say that it is well deserving more 

 attention than it at present receives. The specimen referred to was 

 about three feet in height, upwards of four feet in width, and was 

 covered to the edge of the pot with flower-spikes, the number of 

 which was 156. The plant was struck in April, and shifted into a 

 seven-inch pot in August, in which it was wintered, keeping it in a 

 cool house, and rather dry at the roots. In the beginning of March 

 it was shifted into a fifteen-inch pot, and placed near the glass in a 

 house where the temperature ranged from 50° to 64°, with fire-heat. 

 Here it was afforded a slight bottom- heat, a moist atmosphere, and a 

 free circulation of air whenever the weather w T ould permit. This 

 plant being impatient of an excess of moisture at the roots, water 

 was applied very sparingly to the soil, until it was evident from the 

 growth of the shoots that the roots had got good hold of the fresh 

 soil ; indeed, beyond syringing morning and evening, very little water 

 was given. The plant is a very rapid grower, and very much inclined 

 to become leggy and thin at the base, which stopping will hardly 

 prevent, as the back buds do not break freely, and the centre shoots 

 always have an inclination to take a decided lead over the others. 

 To remedy this, the shoots were pegged down, bringing them almost 

 down to the surface of the soil, which caused the back buds to push, 

 and when the points of the old shoots turned up and showed a ten- 

 dency to grow too fast for the others, they were stopped, and any 

 shoot towards the centre which seemed inclined to rob its fellows, 

 was pegged down so as to equalize the growth. Early in May the 

 plant produced ten fine spikes of blossom, and was removed to the 

 flower-house, observing, of course, to prepare it for the change. 

 When the beauty of the flowers was over, the spikes were cut off, 



