110 



PLANTS FOB WINDOW GARDENING. 



we treat of each variety. The soil to be used in the culture 

 of the tropseolum is, for the bulbous varieties, leaf-mould 

 and peat, with an admixture of fine sand ; for the other 

 classes, an addition of more sand is to be advised, as care 

 must be taken not to enrich the soil too highly, for in a rich 

 soil, with plenty of room to develop the roots, the plants are 

 apt to run all to leaves. This may be prevented in two 

 ways, either by giving a poor soil, or by allowing the roots 

 to become " pot-bound," and nourishing the plant by slight 

 waterings of liquid manure ; they generally fail to give 

 satisfaction if the soil is close, heavy, and binding. All 

 the varieties, we believe, are readily propagated by cuttings, 

 and many produce seed in abundance. Some succeed better 

 if allowed to trail on the ground ; others are so delicate as 

 to need constant attention and careful training. Some are 

 hardy in England, though to our knowledge none have ever 

 been able to survive our severe winters in the open ground, 

 or protected in frames. All the varieties are of the most 

 rapid growth, and are mostly free flowerers ; none are desti- 

 tute of some beauty, while the greater number are remark- 

 able for the combinations of dazzling colors which they 

 afford. The prevailing color is yellow in its different 

 shades ; next, red ; then dark ; and lastly, a most extraor- 



