1 76 Commercial Gardening 



from old stock plants, and are inserted in spring, autumn, and winter, 

 according to the times they are required. Cuttings inserted singly in 

 small pots in May in a sandy soil soon root, and are afterwards potted 

 firmly into 5-in. pots. During the summer months they remain in the 

 open air to ensure thoroughly ripe growth by exposure to the sun and 

 air. The best compost is turfy loam with a dash of sand and a little 

 well-rotted manure or leaf mould, and perhaps a sprinkling of basic slag 

 to impart vigour and substance to the flowers. From October or November 

 onwards the plants are grown under glass in cold frames, and batches 

 are taken into a warm greenhouse to bring them into early bloom. When 

 coming into flower, weak manure water may be given occasionally. If 

 a blue colour is required in the flowers it can be produced by watering 

 with a solution of alum water. Some growers use iron filings or coal 

 dust mixed with the soil for the same purpose. The best white-flowered 

 varieties are "Thomas Hogg" and "E. Moulliere". Hydrangeas of the 

 Hortensia section can be had in bloom from twelve to fifteen months 

 from cuttings, and with heads of flowers 12 to 15 in. across. 



H. paniculata is quite distinct from H. Hortensia. In Japan it forms 

 a dense round-headed tree 25 ft. high, with a trunk 6 in. in diameter. 

 For market work plants about 2 ft. high are usually grown in pots, the 

 variety known as grandiflora being most popular. A rather heavy 

 loamy soil, with a little leaf mould or well-rotted manure, is a suitable 

 compost. When the leaves have fallen, the plants are pruned hard back 

 to three or four eyes. From each of these a long shoot is developed in 

 due course, and ends up in a fine pyramidal head of flowers 1 ft. or 

 more in length. By moving the plants into a warm greenhouse, or even 

 into a stove temperature, the flowering period is hastened. Fresh stock 

 is raised from cuttings about 6 in. long inserted in sandy soil. 



Impatiens. Perhaps the Balsam (see p. 133) is the best-known mem- 

 ber of this genus, but there are a few other species worthy of note, espe- 

 cially /. Sultani and /. Hawkeri both lovely bushy plants with bright-red 

 flowers. They are easily raised from seeds or from cuttings, and require 

 warm-house treatment, and a good loamy soil with a dash of sand and 

 a fair sprinkling of leaf mould. Of late years a much more vigorous 

 species 2. Oliveri, from Central Africa has attracted some attention, 

 and has been used for bedding out during the summer months. It may 

 be grown like the other kinds, and will attain a height of 5 to 6 ft., 

 making fine bushy plants covered with large pink, pale rose, or almost 

 white flowers as large as a crown. Handsome little bushy specimens 

 can be obtained in 5-in. pots. 



Iresine. Effective South American plants much valued for massing in 

 beds and borders in summer. /. Herbsti with roundish purple and crimson 

 leaves, and its variety aureo-reticulata with yellow-veined leaves, as well 

 as /. Lindeni with narrow lance-shaped leaves of deep crimson-red, are 

 largely grown in small pots or boxes for the early summer trade. They 

 &re raised from cuttings in sandy soil early in spring, in bottom heat, 



