TENDER HANDSOME FOLIAGE PLANTS. 45 



and small pieces of charcoal. The pot should be well 

 drained, and its size be in proportion to the size of the 

 plant ; stagnant water is injurious to the root. Water 

 moderately in summer, and in winter very moderately, 

 and keep the plants rather in shade to retain the beauti- 

 ful marking. They may be repotted in spring, if they 

 are in a healthy growing state, and a little bottom heat 

 will then do good. Sometimes, when plants are growing 

 vigorously, and if it is wished to have them large, there 

 may be another potting in June. Keep the air of the 

 house moist during the growing season, and let the 

 plants rest from December to March. They may be 

 increased by division of the root, and by the careful 

 removal of side shoots. Shade the little plants from 

 the sun for a month, after which they may be treated 

 like the old plants. 



The splendid two-coloured Caladium, Caladium fiicolor 

 splendens, is a magnificent foliaged plant, which dies down 

 in the autumn. The leaves are about nine inches long 

 and seven wide, the centre is of the brightest red, with 

 glossy metallic lustre, and the margin dark green, each 

 leaf rising on a tall footstalk from the root of the plant. 

 The flowers are white. The Caladium Chant ini is a yet 

 handsomer plant, its broad arrowhead-shaped leaves being 

 larger, crimson in the centre, shaded to pale green to- 

 wards the margin, and covered with a profusion of white 

 spots of irregular shape and size. These beautiful leaves 

 are on stems two feet high, with streaks of dark purple 

 and crimson. Caladium argyriies is a smaller but no 

 less beautiful plant. It is quite a gem, its arrowhead 

 leaves being a dark green, irregularly but prettily marked 

 with white, the plant not exceeding nine inches in height. 

 Caladium pictum has wide leaves, about a foot long, irre- 

 gularly blotched with white on a pale green ground, 

 rising on stems of a rich purple colour. "With a little 

 care in watering, it will retain its leaves all the year, 

 The Caladium Verscliaffelti is a remarkably showy plant, 

 the leaves six to nine inches long, of a brilliant green, 

 with irregular bright red spots. 



All these caladiums are so bright and beautiful, and 



