100 THE amateur's GBEENnOUSE 



ScHTZOSTTLis. — A few years ago, Messrs. Bnckbouse intro- 

 duced to English gardens the beautiful Cape Iris, Scliizostylis 

 coccinea, which has the twofold merit of being perfectly hardy 

 and of flowering in the later months of the year, when 

 there is nothing to compete with its brilliant scarlet flowers. 

 The best way to grow this plant is to plant it in any sunny 

 border in spring, carefully take it up and pot it at the end of 

 September, and place it in the greenhouse, where it will 

 flower during October and November, and, if the clumps are 

 large and strong, until Christmas. 



SisTEiNcniUM. — A pretty Irid, almost equal to the lovely 

 Iris reticulata. The most useful is the little S. anceps, which 

 you can plant in patches in front of rhododendron beds, and it 

 will grow and flower freely. S. grandiflora has wbite flowers ; 

 S. Nnttali, blue ; and S. striatum yellow. They are all hardy, 

 and will grow well in sandy peat, or mellow sandy loam in 

 which there is much vegetable fibre. A few of the earlv- 

 flowering kinds are to be valued as pot plants in the green- 

 house. 



Statice. — This is an interesting genus, and in high favour 

 witli exhibitors, because they oiler a few difficulties, and none 

 but the patient and painstaking ever succeed in obtaining fine 

 specimens. The requirements of the plants are few enough, 

 but they will not endure any kind of neglect, or any really bad 

 management. They have tender roots, and if kept too wet or 

 too dry, grow smaller instead of larger ; and if not soon aided 

 by remedial measures, die outright. We will suppose you have 

 a plant or so of each of the sorts you wish to grow, including, of 

 course, sucb as S. Ilolfordi, S. imhricata, and S. profusa. The 

 first step is to obtain a few cuttings, and preparatory thereto 

 the plants must be persuaded to make shoots for the purpose. 

 Tlie best course of procedure is to place the old plants in a 

 warm house at the beginning of March. A safe temperature is 

 one ranging from 50° to 60°, such, for instance, as is to be met 

 with in a peach-house or vinery at work. 



These plants, if carefully watered, will soon begin to push 

 out side-shoots. "When the young shoots have about five or 

 six leaves they can be taken off. In taking them off" with a 

 knife let it have a thoroughly keen edge. There is a certain 

 amount of nicety necessary to be observed in this operation, for 



