BUDS, BLOOM, AND EARLY BIRD 



soil, more tubercles, and so on if the basket is large. If Feb. 

 the baskets which are to accommodate the Achimenes I~I4 

 are occupied by some other plant, such as the lovely 

 flowering Begonia, Gloire de Lorraine, at the present 

 time, the difficulty can be got over by starting the former 

 in pans or boxes, and transplanting them to the baskets 

 later on. 



Abutilons for Pillars. — The flowering Abutilon (I use 

 this term to distinguish it from the species grown for 

 their foliage, such as Vexillarium), is not an ideal plant 

 for small houses, owing to its loose and straggly growth ; 

 but it comes in useful for larger structures. If the con- 

 servatory roof is supported by pillars, the latter may be 

 used as supports for various plants, amongst them Abu- 

 tilons. The flowers are bell-shaped, and there is a good 

 variety of colour amongst them. They can be got in 

 few months by sowing seed in a warm house at the pre- 

 sent time, and the plant is not likely to cause any anxiety, 

 even during babyhood, as it is a free and healthy grower. 



The Marechal Niel on the Greenhouse Roof. — I am not 

 sure that we see it so often as we used to do, that ram- 

 pant, strong-caned, glorious Marechal Niel. A good 

 many of the plants have died out through canker, and 

 their places have not been filled. Probably if Rose 

 lovers were asked about the rare old Marechal, with its 

 great golden flowers (they are not really gold-coloured, 

 of course, but "golden" has an impressive sound) and 

 its powerful fragrance, they would say that they loved it 

 as deeply as ever. In the abstract they do, but in the 

 concrete they let it slip away, because their attention is 

 fixed on novelties. Many people undoubtedly lose in- 

 terest in a plant that is given to dying away abruptly 

 without any apparent reason. See how the Apricot is 

 falling into disfavour. With all the beautiful Roses 

 75 



