

SECOND WEEK IN MAY 



are indispensable for these plants; for the stakes, being 

 spiral, and painted light green, display the flowers to per- 

 fection without interfering with the natural outline of the 

 plant, and as the pots must stand in the full sunshine in the 

 open air during the summer, it is very desirable to exclude 

 worms, &c., by the use of the crocks. 



Before the cold rain of autumn sets in, however, Mal- 

 maison carnations should be housed for the winter, although 

 they need dryness more than much warmth. They must, 

 of course, be kept quite free from blight at all times. 



One of the most floriferous of the newer Malmaison car- 

 nations is Lady Rose, in delicate pink, a very lovely flower. 

 King Oscar, of remarkably perfect form and rich brilliant 

 crimson colouring, is in fine contrast to Lady Rose ; Mrs. 

 Trelawney is a beauty, in deep salmon-pink ; Mme. de 

 Satge and Horace Hutchinson are both in scarlet ; Thora is 

 in palest pink, changing to white, Lord Welby in deep 

 crimson, and Mercia in rich salmon-pink. 



Cannas, if brought on early in warmth, with abundant 

 moisture, will now be opening their fine spikes, and these 

 are very showy, especially such good varieties as Alphonse 

 Bouvier, Koningen Charlotte, &c. Phyllocacti, covered 

 now with gorgeous blooms in many shades of crimson and 

 pink, give glowing colour amongst the ferns, with which 

 they should be grouped (for their somewhat gawky stems 

 are not graceful), and the pale pink blossoms of P. delicata 

 are very distinct amongst the rest. These plants, having 

 been kept dry and cool from November till the middle of 

 February, are now in great beauty, having been placed in 

 warmth and abundantly watered since that time. From the 

 end of July (when they will have made their fresh growth) 

 till October they stand in full sunshine out-of-doors to ripen 

 their new leaf-stems, but their pots should be sunk to the 

 rim in ashes, both to prevent them from falling about and 

 to keep slugs and snails (which are specially fond of eating 

 the tender foliage of the cactus) from attacking them. 



Posoqueria multiflora, a shrubby plant with fine foliage 

 and lovely star-like flowers, belongs to the order Rubiacae, 



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