38 



THE FLORISTS MANUAL. 



pearance. Long sprays of the bougain- 

 villea covered with these showy bracts 

 are of great value for decorations. 



The plant should be in a large pot or 

 tub, or may be planted out in the border, 



Easter plant, but by starting them at in 

 tervals they can be had in flower from 

 January on. If kept cool the bracts will 

 hang en for months. In June they can 

 be cut back, some worn-out soil reduced 



Bougainvillea Sander ana. 



but where it has unlimited root room it 

 grows too freely and does not flower so 

 well. During winter the supply of water 

 can be diminished till the plants start 

 growing again, in March, at which time 

 the plants can be cut back to within a 

 few eyes of the previous year s growth. 



The variety of B. glabra known as 

 Sanderiana begins to flower when very 

 small and is much the best for plants of 

 medium size in pots. We were very suc 

 cessful in flowering plants of this the 

 past spring but are disappointed in it as 

 a house plant. The great majority of 

 our flowering plants are sold to people 

 who want them for their windows or 

 rooms and unless a plant has fair keep 

 ing qualities under such conditions it 

 will never be popular. The bracts of B. 

 Sanderiana, while hanging on the plants 

 for months in the greenhouse, soon drop 

 with the leaves when removed to the dry 

 heat of the living-room. 



The cuttings of half ripened wood 

 root readily in March, April or May. In 

 the former two months, bottom heat is 

 needed. The cuttings should be of 

 strong growth, five or six inches long. 

 Keep the sand moderately moist and lit 

 tle shade is required. They take about 

 three weeks to root. Pot carefully and 

 spray frequently, but do not keep the 

 soil very wet. They will soon start to 

 grow and should be given the full light 

 under glass, with copious waterings and 

 daily syringing. By September they 

 should be in 6-inch pots. In October 

 they will begin to ripen their growth 

 and as the temperature gets cooler less 

 water must be given. This is their rest 

 ing time. 



The bougainvilleas are now a great 



from the old ball, and started growing 

 again. After they are once in 4-inch 

 pots they should be well drained, for 

 although they want copious watering 

 when growing fast, stagnant water at the 



roots would be most injurious to them. 

 The bougainvillea is a tropical plant, 

 but in November, December and Jan 

 uary, while slightly resting and with less 

 water, it will do very well in a tem 

 perature of 50 degrees. When started 

 into active growth it should have 60 to 

 65 degrees. A good, friable loam with 

 the addition of some sand and leaf-mold 

 will suit it well. In large pots the loam 

 should be merely chopped. Soft wood 

 cuttings of this plant root easily and in 

 June can be planted out in some good, 

 rich loam and will lift before cold 

 weather and, with a few months rest, 

 will flower in spring. But these plants 

 will not be as large as those from the 

 strong cuttings and grown entirely under 

 glass. 



BOUVARDIA. 



The bouvardia can be classed as al 

 most a tropical plant, most of the spe 

 cies coming from southern Mexico and 

 South America. The hybrids of some 

 of these species are what are of value 

 to the florist. Twenty years ago the 

 bouvardia was one of the most important 

 of tfie plants we grew, but of late years, 

 with the advent of the long-stemmed 

 carnations, the wonderful roses, the 

 chrysanthemum and other more durable 

 flowers, the bouvardias have been much 

 less grown, and in commercial places 

 they generally occupy but a small place, 

 if any, notwithstanding they are beauti 

 ful and easily grown, and that the flower 

 lias grace and refinement. In these days 

 of keen competition, the question is, 

 &quot;Do they pay?&quot; That you must judge 

 by experience in your own locality. 



Begonia Rubra. 



