Stove and Greenhouse Plants and Flowers 143 



material. In February and March the young plants are carefully lifted 

 and potted up singly into 3-in. or 5-in. pots. The tops are pinched out, 

 and by keeping the plants close and shaded from strong sunshine for a 

 few days they soon recover. They are watered when necessary and 

 sprinkled overhead on genial days. The tops of the shoots may be dibbled 

 into boxes of sandy soil as cuttings, and if kept warm and moist for a few 

 weeks, either in a hotbed or close frame, they soon root, and make sturdy 

 little plants the best of which may be transferred to 3-in. pots if necessary. 

 A good trade, however, is done in box stuff as well as in pots. A compost 

 of loam, leaf soil or well-rotted manure, sand, and a sprinkling of basic 

 slag suits Calceolarias very well. They are somewhat subject to Greenfly 

 under glass in spring, but this pest may be kept down by vaporizing, or 

 fumigating, or by syringing the plants with a solution of quassia chips, 

 soft soap, and nicotine. To maintain a gay appearance during the summer 

 months the plants require copious supplies of water, especially when used 

 in window-box decoration. Plants are often killed by a fungoid disease, 

 probably Botrytis, and as there is no remedy it is best to have them pulled 

 up and burned. Before planting afresh, the soil might be dressed with 

 flowers of sulphur. 



Amongst the most popular varieties of Shrubby Calceolarias are Golden 

 Gem, Gaine's Yellow, aurea floribunda, and Prince of Orange amongst 

 the yellows; Bijou, General Havelock, Firefly, Sultan, Sparkler, and 

 Victoria amongst the deep crimson, bronzes, or maroons. 



A Peruvian species G. amplexicaulis 1J-2 ft. high is often seen in 

 public parks and gardens. It has beautiful soft lemon -yellow flowers. 

 G. Burbidgei a hybrid between G. Pavoni and G. fuchsicefolia, is also an 

 attractive plant, 2-4 ft. high, with soft yellow flowers, and with a loose 

 habit. C. alba, with pure-white flowers, is a Chilian species, 3-4 ft. high. 

 All these offer splendid scope to the hybridist. 



HERBACEOUS CALCEOLARIAS. These large-leaved plants are derived 

 from G. arachnoidea, G. corymbosa, and G. crenatiflora all natives of 

 Chili. The progeny of these plants are remarkable for their large and 

 gorgeously coloured and elegantly blotched flowers of various shades. 

 They are all raised from seeds and require the protection of a greenhouse 

 or frame throughout the year. The seeds are sown in rich, sandy, and well 

 drained soil in May and June in the same way as those of Begonias and 

 Gloxinias, but in a temperature varying from 60 F. by night to 65 to 

 70 F. by day. If the seed pots or pans are covered with a sheet of glass, 

 moisture is maintained overhead, and the young plants appear in less 

 than a fortnight. When the second true leaf has developed the seedlings 

 are pricked off about 1 in. apart in a compost of 3 parts leaf soil, 1 part 

 rich loam, and 1 part sand. They are kept shaded and close for a few 

 days till established. In about a month they will be large enough for 

 2J-in. pots, and as these become full of roots, the plants are again trans- 

 ferred to 5-in. or 6-in. pots. About March that is nine or ten months 

 from the time of sowing the seed the final potting takes place. The 



