74 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



each kind and they remain in the same pots 

 until spring. They are placed in the high- 

 est shelf in my bay window, which makes 

 them six feet from the floor and one and a 

 half feet below the top of the window. It is 

 of necessity a very hot place as, in addition 

 to the heat from the stove, the sun beats in 

 on them all the forenoon and half the after- 

 noon of every sunny day. 



As the plants begin to grow, I pinch out 

 the ends of the shoots to make them branch 

 freely until about February ist, when I let 

 them grow for slips. They are uusally large 

 enough by March ist, when I put them in 

 water to root. In a few days the roots ap- 

 pear and they arh potted off as before. I 

 give the new plants the upper shelf then to 

 get them in good condition to bed out in 

 May and set the old stock plants aside. 

 Some of the old plants will branch out again 

 and raise another lot of slips, which are dis- 

 carded at once. 



From the time the slips are potted off in 

 the fall until March, that high shelf is my 

 particular pride. The gorgeous colors and 

 soft velvety texture of the leaves are as 

 beautiful as flowers. 



Some of the best varieties are Golden 

 Bedder, Charm, John Goode, South Park 

 and Golden Crown for yellow sorts ; Louise 

 Chretien, Ruby and Moonbeam among 

 white and pale tints ; Crisp Beauty, Geo. 

 Simpson among light, red and pink sorts ; 

 Dr. Koch, Brightness, Firebrand, Fire King 

 and Midnight, crimson and maroon ; Pro- 



gress, Mrs. Hunt and Butterfly among 

 mottled and shaded ones. 



There are a few new varieties that are of 

 a stronger growth, with leaves of immense 

 size for coleus. I have not tried any of 

 them but have seen them displayed in green- 

 houses and also at our last agricultural fair. 

 Some of the leaves were five or six inches 

 long and though the plants are handsome as 

 decorative plants, they do not seem so ap- 

 propriate or beautiful for bedding purposes 

 as the old sorts. A specimen plant is a 

 lovely sight, but a mass of them spoils the 

 effect. 



Coleus, as a rule, are remarkably free 

 from insect foes. I never found any but the 

 mealy bug on mine, but they can kill the 

 plants in short order if they are left undis- 

 turbed a short time, as they seem to sap the 

 life of the plant so that it wilts and falls 

 over before one knows anything is the mat- 

 ter with it. Eternal vigilance is the best 

 remedy, but when you find them on the 

 plants the use of alcohol or whisky on them 

 will kill them at once. 



It is hard to give coleus too much heat 

 but a chill will cause the leaves to fall off. 

 Mine are watered three times a week during 

 cold weather. Later in spring they need it 

 every day. They are sprayed every morn- 

 ing before the sun is on them. To sum it 

 all up, young plants, plenty of heat, and not 

 too much water will give one a fine display 

 of coleus all winter. — VicKs Monthly > 



Flowers in the Window. — Lord Nelson 

 once said something to the following 

 effect : 



"The best testimony to proper and happy 

 management of household affairs is borne by 



the windows of the house. If flowers are to 

 be seen through the well polished glass, one 

 can be certain to find a good table and 

 orderly children. The windows indicate the 

 character of the inhabitants of the house." 



