68 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTVRIST. 



help the seeds. Seeds oi i^loxinia, cycla- 

 men, primula and tuberous begonias maybe 

 sown before the sun g"ets too powerful, even 

 now light shadinj^ will be necessary if the 

 seeds are exposed to the sun at mid-day. 



Examine the old bulbs and tubers of sum- 

 mer-flowerinjj bulbs. Gloxinias may be 

 started now at any time. Tuberous beg-onias 

 may be left another month or even more, 

 unless early flowers from them are required. 

 If the tubers of these latter are started into 

 g-rowth, it is better to pot them up at once, 

 as chocking- them ag-ain when they have 

 started growth may result in destroying the 

 tuber. Use top ventilators onl-y when re- 

 quired, and do not forget to close them early 

 in the afternoon. Dampen the floors fre- 

 quently, especially on warm, sunny days. 

 Insect pests will require the usual remedies 

 of fumigating and syringing, more especially 

 as the heat of the sun increases. 



Window Plants. — The late flowering 

 bulbs, callas, and perhaps a few trusses 

 of geranium blooms will help to brighten 

 up the window during early spring. Ger- 



anium plants that have been flowering — 

 or perhaps trying to flower — since 

 autumn, should have a little liquid manure 

 once or twice a week to help them along. 

 This is much better than re- potting them at 

 this season of the year. If fuchsias that have 

 been resting durini»- winter shows signs oi 

 growth they should be pruned back a little, 

 if necessary, shaken out of the old soil and 

 re-potted. Give them well-drained pots, 

 light rich soil, and not too much root 

 room. 



A bulb or two of amaryllis, or a few 

 tuberous begonias secured now and potted 

 up will help brighten up the window in 

 summer. These should be put into six or 

 seven-inch pots if the tubers are large, as re- 

 potting these when in a growing state is not 

 safe or advisable. The amaryllis Johnsonii 

 will probably give better results in the win- 

 dow than any other variety. Avoid using 

 the bottom sash for ventilation, draughts of 

 cold air are injurious to plants at any time. 



W. Hunt, 



Hamilton. 



ALLAMANDA SCHOTTI. 



HIS is probably the prettiest and best 

 variety among the ten or twelve 

 varieties of Allamandas as yet in- 

 S^j troduced to floriculture, as well as 

 being perhaps the most suitable for growing 

 in conservatory or greenhouse. The beauti- 

 ful reddish-brown pencillings and markings 

 to be seen in the throat of its large showy 

 yellow flowers, together with its late flower- 

 ing habit, combine to make this variety one 

 oi the most acceptable and attractive among 

 this grand family of tropical climbing plants. 

 The accompanying photo of two terminal 

 sprays of flowers shows up splendidly the 

 rich reddish-brown markings on the primrose- 

 yellow ground of the flower, as well as show- 

 ing the profuse and continuous flowering 



habit of this plant. The shoot without 

 blossoms, seen in about the centre of the 

 photo, and that starts from near the base ot 

 the stem bearing the large flower, on the 

 right of the photo, shows this pushing or 

 continuous habit of growth and flower, so 

 noticeable in the Allamandas. The shoot 

 mentioned has a cluster of buds at its ter- 

 minal point that were not developed sufiici- 

 ciently to be observable at the time the photo 

 was taken. The spray on the left however, 

 shows plainly this peculiar habit of growth. 

 Most of the early flowering varieties ot 

 the Allamandas such as A. Cathartica, A. 

 Nerifolium, A. Nobilis, and others, produce 

 their wealth of golden flowers chiefly in June 

 and lulv, when there is abundance of flowers 



