Stove and Greenhouse Plants and Flowers 171 



portions through a sieve. This compost should be placed in well-drained 

 5-in. or 6-in. pots, up to within about 1J in. of the rim. From five to six 

 seeds should be placed on the surface in each pot, and afterwards covered 

 with about 1 in. of gritty mould; or several seeds may be sown in the 

 same way, afterwards thinning the seedlings out, to leave only five or 

 six plants in each pot according to size. 



" The best times for sowing Freesia seed is from January to March and 

 April and again in August; but it may be sown at other seasons if more 

 convenient. It is safer to place the seed pots in a greenhouse, and in a 

 temperature of 60 to 65 or even 70 F. germination takes place in five 

 or six weeks. Watering is attended to carefully, and plenty of air and 

 light are given, although the tender seedlings must be shaded from strong 

 sunshine. If it becomes necessary to repot Freesia seedlings, care should 

 be taken to handle the roots gently, as they are extremely brittle and 

 easily injured. During the summer months the seedlings may be stood 

 out-of-doors in an open, partially shaded and sheltered spot. On the 

 approach of frost, however, they must be transferred to the greenhouse 

 with a temperature of 55 to 65 F. and placed on a shelf near the glass." 



Fuchsia. As market plants Fuchsias are always held in great esteem, 

 and are grown in large numbers in pots and also in a small state in boxes 

 to supply the street trade. Thousands are raised from cuttings annually 

 in spring and when grown on in heat soon make fine sturdy plants, fit for 

 5-in. pots. A stick is put to each plant and the side shoots are looped 

 up witli thin strands of raffia. Not only are they useful for bedding 

 purposes, but also for window boxes. Some nurserymen train the plants 

 as standards for special purposes, and secure higher prices in consequence. 



Amongst the best single varieties for market are the following: Charm- 

 ing, red sepals, purple corolla; Cupidon, pink sepals, magenta corolla; 

 Display, rose sepals, mauve corolla; Lady Haytesbury, white sepals, purple 

 corolla; Mrs. Marshall, white sepals, rose corolla; Mrs. Rundell, white 

 sepals, orange corolla; Scarcity, red sepals, deep-red corolla; Starlight, 

 white sepals, pink corolla; Try-me-ho, white sepals, purple corolla. 



Among the doubles are Avalanche, scarlet sepals, dark-blue corolla; 

 Ballet Girl, scarlet sepals, white corolla; Gertrude Pearson, red sepals, 

 purple corolla. 



In addition there are a host of other varieties and several natural 

 species that are grown for private collections. 



Gardenia. These are generally grown to supply cut flowers, which 

 at all times, but especially during the winter and early spring months, 

 are in considerable demand. Plants are readily struck from cuttings, 

 taken any time during the growing season, and inserted in a moderate 

 bottom heat. For cut blooms, Gardenias are generally planted in borders, 

 as if long in pots the tips of the shoots are apt to turn yellow, and greatly 

 depreciate the crop of blossoms. In planting out Gardenias effective 

 drainage must be ensured, and the bulk of the soil should consist of 

 good turfy loam. As Gardenias are pronounced surface rooters, space 



