46 SCHOOL AND HOME GARDENS 



THE COLEUS 



On account of its beautifully colored foliage the coleus 

 is valuable as either a decorative or a bedding plant. It 

 will thrive in any schoolroom or home window. Since 

 it cannot stand an excessively low temperature, it should 

 be moved away from the window on cold nights ; it 

 must not be subjected to drafts. The foliage should be 

 frequently washed with a sprinkler to remove dust, but 

 the plant must not be set out in cold rains when it is 

 accustomed to being indoors. The plants may be propa- 

 gated by stem cuttings at any time of the year. Those 

 started in September may be used for potting during 

 the winter. Plants for bedding should be started in 

 December or January. Small ones may be placed in 

 pots with other plants, with excellent effect if the colors 

 are selected carefully. 



In preparing the slips, cut back the leaves liberally. 

 Soft end slips must be avoided. A slip three inches in 

 length, with the upper cut near a bud, will prove most 

 successful. Prepare the soil as for geraniums and plant 

 the slips one inch apart and one and one-half inches 

 deep. The soil must be kept moist. Protect them from 

 the sun for eight or ten days, when they may be given 

 a sunny place. If the plants are to be propagated at 

 home, they will thrive best in a sunny kitchen window ; 

 the air in that room contains more moisture than that 

 of other rooms. 



