82 



Commercial Gardening 



Paronychia argentea (NAILWORT). 

 This forms dense compact green 

 and silvery patches; and P. serpyili- 

 folia, with trailing stems and masses 

 of small thyme-like leaves, make good 

 carpet plants. 



Pentstemon. The hybrid Pent- 

 stemons of to-day had their origin in 

 P. Hartivegii or P. gentianoides and 

 P. Cobcea, both natives of North 

 America. They are plants of great 

 garden value and ornament valuable 

 because of their colour warmth and 

 for their late summer and autumn 

 flowering. To florists generally, and 

 to northern florists in particular, we 

 are indebted for the high-class strains 

 which now obtain, the crimsons, scar- 

 lets, and reds generally being most 

 effective in late summer. As the plants 

 do not possess the attribute of com- 

 plete hardiness, they must be raised 

 from seeds or cuttings. Sow the 

 seeds in January or February in the 

 greenhouse, subsequently pricking the 

 seedlings off and later potting them 

 singly into small pots prior to planting in open ground in May. Grown 



quickly, such plants flower pro- 

 fusely during their first year. 

 Cuttings may be inserted in 

 sandy soil in slight warmth in 

 autumn or spring, the former 

 giving excellent plants for stock 

 purposes or for bedding out. 

 Grown commercially, both seed- 

 lings and cutting -raised plants 

 afford a good business line, the 

 best named varieties realizing 

 good prices. The plants succeed 

 quite well in garden soils that 

 have been well tilled, and those 

 of a light and warm nature for 

 preference (fig. 234). [E. H. J.] 



Perilla nankinensis (fig. 235). 

 A distinct half-hardy annual, 

 with heart-shaped ovate deep-purple strongly veined leaves, which con- 



Fig. 234. Garden Pentstemon 



Fig. 235. Perilla nankinensis 



