1900 



GIvEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



149 



bought some plants, and they died. Come to 

 think of it, I believe there is a remnant of one 

 Sunset coleus growing yet, and by the time 

 warm weather comes it may pull through. I 

 bought Sunset colei at different greenhouses, 

 but I did not find any thing quite up to what 

 I saw in that bay window until I got a plant of 

 W. H. Murphey, Minooka, 111., and one that 

 is all my imagination pictured, and even more 

 too. In fact, I go out to the greenhouse and 

 take a look at it ever so many times a day, and 

 feel happy ; but in order to keep its gorgeous 

 coloring I have placed it in the cutting bed 

 where the air is damp, and the temperature 

 somewhere between 80 and 90 the greater part 



buying plants to see if I can get any more to 

 equal it. If I can not, I am going to make 

 cuttings from this one. 



Now, there is just one more coleus that is a 

 fit companion to the vSunset. It came from the 

 same place. Right around where the stem ad- 

 joins the leaf, there is a delicate pinkish white ; 

 but near the center of the leaf is a bright daz- 

 zling purple bordering on the most brilliant 

 indigo blue. Then the outer edge of the 1 .af, 

 which is fringed, is bordered with a vivid 

 green ; and the effect is to give the plant an 

 air that reminds one of oriental kings and 

 princes. I see by the catalogs that they have 

 a new coleus called the Empress of India, and 



THE AUTHOR OF THE HOME PAPERS AMONG HIS PLANTS IN THE GREENHOUSE. 



of the day. The center of the leaves is a brick 

 red, changing to orange and purple. All 

 around the edge of the leaf there is a "silver 

 lining " or rather, perhaps, a " golden " lining, 

 such as you sometimes see far in the west, just 

 as the sun is going down. The edge of the 

 cloud seems to be of burnished gold. Well, 

 this leaf has that look. The leaves near the 

 center, that are just starting out, have all the 

 hues of the mo-5t delicate coloring of fruit — say 

 a luscious peach when it is putting on its mar- 

 velous tints. Then the leaves are downy 

 enough to give it a glow, when the sun strikes 

 it just right, like the most gorgeous silken 

 plush. I have only this one plant that comes 

 up to my ideal of a Sunset coleus. I am still 



I think this plant would fit the name to a dot. 

 It makes one think of the stories in the Ara- 

 bian Nights ; and it also makes me think still 

 more of the words, " But I say unto you that 

 Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like 

 one of these." 



I do not just understand why it is I am 

 drinking in day by day so much happiness 

 and enjoyment from the care and culture of 

 these plants ; but something seems to say to 

 me that the great Father has a purpose in it 

 all ; that he has a mission for me to fill. I oft- 

 en thank God that this new pleasure he has 

 given me does not cost very much money. 

 These two colei that I prize so highly cost on- 

 ly a few cents each. I begin already to per- 



