Stove and Greenhouse Plants and Flowers 145 



keep them up to the floweriijg mark, however, weak liquid manure should 

 be applied daring active growth. Camellias may be propagated by cut- 

 tings of the nearly ripened young shoots inserted in sandy peat and loam, 

 and plunged in bottom heat. They are, however, increased more readily 

 by grafting the scions of choice varieties being united with stocks of 

 the commoner single -flowered varieties. In this way large numbers 

 of plants are raised on the Continent. Some firms also make a speciality 

 of raising seedling va- 

 rieties. 



Canna ( INDIAN 

 SHOT). The trade in 

 these plants has in- 

 creased enormously 

 during recent years, 

 and there are many 

 exquisite garden hy- 

 brids used for the deco- 

 ration of the garden 

 during the summer, and 

 also for the conserva- 

 tory. They are almost 

 as easily grown as 

 Dahlias, and are in- 

 creased by division of 

 the fleshy rootstocks, 

 and also by seeds sown 

 in heat in spring. The 

 illustration (fig. 272) 

 gives a good idea as 

 to the general appear- 

 ance of the plants, but 

 some varieties are much 

 taller than others, and 

 also differ in the colour 

 of the leafage, the 

 shades varying from 

 light green to deep 



Crimson purple. The b'ig. 272.-Canna italia : to show habit 



flowers also are re- 

 markable for the beautiful colours, red, scarlet, orange, &c., being repre- 

 sented, while many are blotched and stained with other colours. Different 

 groups known as "Orchid flowered", "Gladiolus flowered", and "large 

 flowered" are known, and fancy names have been given to the best. 



Capsicum. Varieties of C. annuuwi with yellow fruits, and of C. mini- 

 mum with crimson fruits are grown for decorative purposes. The seeds 

 are sown in heat in February or March, and soon germinate. The seedlings 



VOL IT. 25 



