THE CANADIAN BORTICULTURIST. 



259 



Another more familiar climber is the 

 old-fashioned German Ivy, so called by 

 the rule of contrary, I suppose, for it is 

 not an ivy, and does not hail from Ger- 

 many. However, it is a rapid grower 

 of very pretty habit, and is usually of 

 more easy culture than ivy proper. 



All lovers of house plants are familiar 

 with the large-leaved Begonia Rex. Its 

 robust habit and handsome vari-colored, 

 metallic leaves justly make it a favorite. 

 Like the palm, it is an excellent thing 

 for city houses where there is little 

 sunshine. Of course, if grown in a 

 gloomy locality it will only flower 

 weakly, and will not be as richly col- 

 ored as when in good sunlight, but it 

 will do better than most plants and is 

 attractive under any circumstances. 



Another member of its family. Beg- 

 onia rubra, is equally desirable, being 

 the most attractive of the plain-leaved 

 varieties. The long leaves are a bright, 

 shining green : the large flowers, pro- 

 fusely produced, are a brilliant red. It 

 is a very free grower, easily propagated 

 and if sponged or syringed in addition 

 to the ordinary watering, is very cleanly 

 in its habits. 



Most growei-s of house plants are 

 familiar with the ordinary abutilons, 

 sometimes called bell-flower, but very 

 few grow the trailing variety, A Me- 

 sopotamicum. It is a charming- little 

 thing, throwing out long, trailing 

 branches. The leaves are smaller and 

 more pointed than those of the ordinary 

 variety, beautifully variegated with 

 gold ; the little bell-shaped, dark-red 

 flower has a besom-like clapper of black 

 stamens. It is as easy to grow as others 

 of its class, but it requires a good sun 

 to bring out the variegation of the 

 leaves. 



For those desirous of profusely flower- 

 ing house plants nothing is better than 

 the Chinese primrose. It can be kept 

 continually in bloom from November 

 till May, and the blossoms form a 



wliole gamut of color, from pure white 

 to deepest crimson. They are of easy 

 culture, requiring little attention save 

 in watering. They must not grow 

 actually dry, though here, as every- 

 where else, the cultivator must be 

 warned against over-saturating the pots. 

 A great advantage of the primrose is 

 that it is very rarely infested by green- 

 fly, or similiar pests. Under the same 

 circumstances as the Chinese primrose, 

 we may grow its modest little yellow- 

 flowered English cousin, though a living 

 room is rather too warm for it. The 

 frail English flower, however, is always 

 rather spindling under our alien skies. 



( Jy clamens are good house plants, 

 and may be readily grown, flowering 

 profusely. It is well to notice in pur- 

 chasing however, that one should get 

 plants of good constitution ; many 

 growers seem to have a very sickly 

 strain, with worn out vitality. In the 

 very beginning of September plants 

 should be repotted, shaking all the old 

 earth ofl*, and giving new soil ; the 

 crown of the bulb should be left un- 

 covered. 



For those having rooms rather cool 

 than otherwise, violets are charming, 

 but it is useless to attempt them in a 

 very warm place. They will flower pro- 

 fusely during the winter at a tempera- 

 ture of from 45° to 50°, and their 

 beauty and fragrance make them most 

 desirable. Of single varieties the Czar 

 is very fine ; it is large, dark purple, 

 and very fragrant. The Neapolittin is 

 the best double variety. With all 

 house plants frequent sponging or syr- 

 inging of the leaves may be advised as 

 a preventive of red spider and similar 

 pests. But it is well to reiterate that 

 in every case one must water with 

 brains ; no amount of printed instruc- 

 tions is equal to a little personal dis- 

 cretion in this case. Discretion, en- 

 thusiasm, and energy are the three 

 graces of horticulture, and they cannot 



