102 Commercial Gardening 



leathery leaves, and produces immense, branching, flattish clusters of pale 

 lilac-blue flowers in July and August, when they sell fairly well in market. 

 There is a rare white-flowered form. This species may be increased by 

 division in spring or by root cuttings inserted in sandy soil from October 

 to January. Other useful perennial species are caspia, purple; Fortunei, 

 yellow; Gmelini, deep lavender; Limonium, deep blue, with a white 

 variety. 



The annual Sea Lavenders have become popular of late years, chiefly for 

 their cut-flower stems, which last a long time and are almost looked upon 

 as "Everlastings" in the same way as the Helichrysums and Rhodanthes. 

 They are best raised in gentle heat in the same way as China Asters in 

 spring, and may be sold in boxes or pots for planting out in borders later 

 on. The best kinds are Bonduelli, 1 ft., golden yellow; spicata, rose 

 purple; Suworowi, bright rose; sinensis, pure white with canary yellow; 

 superba, rose; sinuata, blue, with several showy varieties having rose 

 and white flowers. 



The more tender kinds of Statice are grown in greenhouses in a com- 

 post of loam, leaf soil, and well-rotted manure with a dash of coarse sand. 

 They are raised from seed like the annual kinds, and are pricked out and 

 potted on as they increase in size. No great trade is done in them, how- 

 ever. Perhaps the best kind is macrophylla, light blue with a rich dark- 

 blue variety, atroccerulea', and JBourgcei, purple and white; imbricata, 

 pale blue; puberula, blue and white; rosea, rose; profusa, lilac. 



Stellaria graminea aurea. This is a dwarf golden-leaved variety of 

 Chickweed which makes an excellent carpet-bedding or edging plant. It 

 can be cut close, and made to look effective beneath "dot" plants. 



Stock, Ten-week (Matthiola annua). The parent of the Ten-week 

 Stock is a South European annual, 1-2 ft. high, having somewhat hoary 

 lance-shaped leaves, and erect, branching spikes of flower with varying 

 colours. 



The garden varieties are very numerous, and now include many 

 different colours, such as pure white, scarlet, rose, purple, carmine, prim- 

 rose, light and dark blue, mauve, violet, pink, &c. the double-flowered 

 kinds being most extensively cultivated. Particularly good kinds are 

 White Mammoth, Princess Alice, and All the Year Round, which have fine 

 spikes of pure-white double flowers. Princess May is a fine primrose- 

 yellow variety, and one known as White Christmas is useful for winter 

 bloom, as its white blossoms can be brought to perfection under glass. 

 The Giant Perfection strain of Ten-week Stock is deservedly popular, 

 and may be had in all shades of colour, separate or mixed (fig. 246). 



A great trade is done in Ten-week Stock in the seeds, young plants, 

 and in the cut spikes of bloom. For summer work the seeds are sown 

 in February or March in shallow boxes, in rich gritty soil, in the gentle 

 heat of a greenhouse or hotbed. The seedlings are pricked out into 

 similar boxes and soil when large enough to handle easily, and by the 

 end of May, or earlier, are sold largely for bedding purposes. When 



