CHAPTEK X. 



THE GESNERACEOUS HOUSE. 



IN order to be successful in growing Gesneraceous 

 plants, either the house for them must be facing the 

 east or west, or else it must be shaded. The kind of 

 house similar to that recommended for the Geranium, 

 and set the same way, is as good as anything for this 

 class of plants, except that the roof should be double- 

 glazed, and the rafters placed much closer together, as 

 they require no strong sunlight ; on the contrary, this 

 must be avoided. If a southern aspect is adopted, some 

 permanent evergreen shade must be employed for the 

 south roof, otherwise this class will get injured by the 

 strong rays of the sun in their beautiful foliage, on 

 account of which they are considered so handsome. 



The foliage of some of these species is handsomely 

 marked, while others are of a deep velvety green ; and 

 in either case, if exposed to the strong rays of the sun> 

 they get scorched and then lose the beauty for which 

 they are so much admired. This class includes the 

 lovely free-flowering Achimenes with its multitudinous 

 varieties ; the glorious and unique family of Gloxinias,, 

 which must be seen to form an adequate idea of their 

 beauty when , in foliage as well as in flower ; the 

 Plectopoma, a sort of half Achimenes and half Gloxinia ; 

 the Gesnera Zebrina and its varieties ; the Strepto- 



