COCKSCOMB CO LEU S 231 



COCKSCOMB 



Celosia cristata. Tender annual 



THIS fine old-fashioned oddity appears to have advanced in popularity 

 of late years, probably as the result of a number of well-grown plants 

 at public exhibitions. Those who can produce handsome Cinerarias, 

 Balsams, and Calceolarias, will be likely to turn out grand combs 

 strongly coloured and on dwarf leafy plants. Liberal culture is essen- 

 tial, and the first start should be made in a compost consisting mainly 

 of rich light friable loam. Sow the seeds on a rather brisk heat 

 in February or March, a newly-made but sweet hot-bed being the best 

 place for the seed-pans. Prick out early into very small pots, and 

 shift on so as to encourage growth without a check, and keep the 

 plants on the hot-bed until the combs are formed. It is well not to 

 shift beyond the 8-inch size ; then, by allowing the roots to become 

 pot-bound, the combs are soon produced. This routine may be 

 varied at convenience. In the first place, you may have some grand 

 combs on tall plants. The command of a brisk hot-bed will easily 

 enable you to improve these specimens. Prepare some pots one size 

 at least smaller than those they are in, and cut off the heads with a 

 sufficient amount of stem attached, remove a few of the lowest 

 leaves, plant firmly in the new pots, put them on the hot-bed, and 

 they will make roots with surprising rapidity, and then you will secure 

 what is admitted to be desirable large, symmetrical, richly-coloured 

 combs upon dwarf stems. Another mode of procedure consists in 

 pricking the young plants into boxes, and starving them somewhat, so 

 as to promote premature production of combs, and then choosing the 

 best to grow in pots for decorative purposes. It matters not how 

 select the seed, or how careful the culture, a certain proportion of 

 unsymmetrical combs will appear ; but these, if richly coloured, will 

 be useful for decorative purposes, and should have all the attention 

 needed to keep their leaves fresh and the combs pure in colour. 



COLEUS 



Stove perennial 



THERE is so much difficulty in carrying Coleus through the winter 

 in vigorous health, that the modern plan of treating it as an annual 

 is advantageous for the saving of trouble and fire-heat in winter, and 



