PLUMBAGO CAPENSIS. 



minds one of the appearance of fresh 

 cut lead, but because P. Europcea, al- 

 ready referred to as a pity-producer for 

 European beggars, produces also the 

 substance called Plumbagine, and far- 

 ther, a peculiar fat which gives to the 

 skin a leaden color. 



As garden plants nearly the whole of 

 the order is much prized for beauty. 

 The well known Sea-pink or Thrift 

 found on the sea coasts of England, and 

 used there largely as an edging for flower 

 beds, is a member of this family. Its 

 botanic name is Armeria vulgaris. 



Now, after having spoken of some of 

 the properties of the family at large, I 

 want to speak a word for Plumbago Ca- 

 pen sis as a very desirable plant for 

 house, greenhouse or garden cultiva- 

 tion. In habit it may be said to be half 

 shrubby. It is practically a perpetual 

 bloomer. Its flowers are produced in 

 large clusters of a beautiful light blue 

 color — a color not possessed by any 

 other plant with which I am acquainted, 

 and while it is not so hardy as to stand 

 the Canadian winter it may be so man- 

 aged that it will be an object of great 

 beauty on the lawn or in the herbaceous 

 border in late fall when we have such 

 a scarcity of flowering shrubs. 



The illustrations accompanying this 

 article were taken from plants on my 

 lawn late in October of the present year, 

 and the plant in a pot, Fig. No. 1481, 

 was photographed at the same time, 

 three weeks after having been dug up 

 out of the flower border where they had 

 been planted out in June. 



Figs. 1482 and 1483 represent shrubs 

 over 6 feet high. No. 1481 was a plant 

 which grew all last winter in the centre 

 bed of my conservatory along with be- 

 gonias, cytisus, abutilons cannas, poin- 

 settias, and a Bouganvilleas, etc., all in 

 a blaze of color; yet the plumbago 

 commanded attention even in such gor- 



47 



geous company, by the number and 

 peculiar delicacy of its graceful blos- 

 soms. Another plant grew on the back 

 wall of the greenhouse reaching the 

 height of 8 feet, and bloomed continu- 

 ously through the winter. No. 1482 

 was cut back a little and lifted and 

 planted on the lawn in early June, and 

 had assumed the proportions and bloom 

 as shown in September, blooming 

 through October until two nights of 

 frost at 22° robbed it of its glory. I 

 noticed, however, in spite of this ordeal, 

 a few mild days succeeding, it actually 

 ventured to unfold a few more of its 

 delicate blossoms. Fig. 1483 represents 

 a plant grown for two years in a pot and 

 planted out on the lawn at the same 

 time as the other, and after being al- 

 lowed to pass through the frost referred 

 to above, was potted and is now making 

 fresh growth which in a week or two will 

 again delight us with its bloom. It is 

 easily grown. All it requires is good 

 friable loam enriched with decayed ma- 

 nure. As it soon fills the pots with 

 roots, watering must be carefully attend- 

 ed to. Frequent syringing with water 

 is necessary as the red spider seems to 

 consider its leaves a special delicacy, 

 and is the greatest enemy it has. It is 

 easily -propagated from cuttings ; half- 

 ripened wood in sand soon emitting 

 roots. It grows rapidly and is one of 

 my most satisfactory greenhouse shrubs. 

 If planted out in early summer and lift- 

 ed before frost injures it, it never fails 

 to give a profusion of bloom for many 

 weeks. 



If the flowering side-shoots are cut 

 back when the flowers fade, the supply 

 of fresh flowering wood will be kept up. 

 I trust many of the readers of the 

 Horticulturist, especially those who 

 have greenhouses, will get a plant of 

 Plumbago Capensis, and I am sure they 

 will be delighted with it. 



