234 WINDOW GARDENING. 



Indica alba, white. 



* Fielden, white ; very early. 



* Minerva, scarlet ; profuse. 



Modele de Marque, splendid form ; rose. 

 Grande Dutchesse de Bode. 

 Iveryana, white, striped with rose. 

 Perfection, rose; good form. 

 Vittata crispiflora. 

 Vittata, variegated. 



* Punctata, splendid, variegated. 



* Punctata omnicolor, early bloomer. 



?, * Narcissiflora plena, six weeks in bloom. 



President, scarlet. 



The Daphne. 



Of all woody plants that are suitable for parlor culture, the Daphne, especially 

 Daphne odorata, deserves the first mention, for it flourishes under the most 

 adverse circumstances ; patiently putting forth group after group of its dark 

 glossy evergreen leaves, each group through the winter months wearing right 

 royally its cluster of pearly blossoms, whose delicate throats constantly distil a 

 most delicious fragrance. 



In foliage this shrub greatly resembles the laurel, and hence bears the name 

 of that beautiful maiden who being beloved by Apollo, but not favoring his suit, 

 besought the gods for aid in escaping him, and in answer to her prayers was 

 changed into a laurel-tree. 



Though the Daphne is capable of enduring heat and dry ness, it grows most 

 luxuriantly in a cool, moist atmosphere ; and it should be frequently syringed 

 with tepid water, its leaves kept clean with water by washing them often with a soft 

 sponge. Give it a soil of garden earth mixed loosely with a little vegetable mould or 

 stable refuse and a small quantity of sand. In May prune it closely to make it grow 

 tall and symmetrical; at the same time repot it, and then keep the plant in the 

 shade with slight watering till September; then give it sunshine and water 

 freely. In early October take it to the parlor. Of the prunings make new 

 plants by immersing the stems in a bottle of water and keeping the bottle in the 

 sunlight till it is filled with white fibrous roots; these roots are very tender, and 

 when they are placed in soil care must be taken not to injure them. The young 

 plant must be kept under a bell-glass or an inverted tumbler for a fortnight, 

 with a scanty sprinkling of tepid water every morning. It should have the sun 

 three hours, at least, each day; but make the air of the room moist and lot it 

 not rise above 58 by day or 45 by night, if you would promote its rapid and 

 healthy growth. It blooms almost constantly from December to the last of 

 March. 



The Abutilon. 



A beautiful parlor tree is the Abutilon, with its maple-like foliage, and its bell 

 flowers of gold and crimson. It needs a light sandy loam, for if the soil is too 



