260 PRACTICAL FLORICULTURE. 



upon their flowers. Among these may be ranked the 

 Gold and Silver Variegated-leaved Geraniums, Achyran- 

 thes, Alternantheras, Begonias, Caladiums, Centaureas, 

 Coleuses, etc., which, if planted so as to bring the 

 various shades in contrast, produce a pleasing effect, 

 which continues during the entire summer months, and 

 is not surpassed by any display of flowers. 



The cultivators of flowers in rooms should understand 

 the necessity of sunlight to plants that are to flower, and 

 endeavor to get these as close as possible to a window 

 having an eastern or southern aspect. The higher the 

 temperature the more plants suffer from want of light. 

 Many plants might remain semi-dormant, in a temper- 

 ature of forty degrees, in a cellar for example, away 

 from direct light, for months, without material injury, 

 while if the cellar contained a furnace keeping a temper- 

 ature of seventy degrees, they would all die ; such would 

 particularly be the case with plants of a half-hardy 

 nature, such as monthly Roses, Carnations, Fuchsias, 

 Geraniums, etc. 



In our greenhouse culture of flowers, direct sunlight 

 is an all-important consideration ; and a spell of sunless 

 weather in midwinter is often a loss to us of hundreds of 

 dollars by preventing the development of flowers. Hence, 

 we use every means at command to dispose the plants to 

 secure the greatest amount of light. 



The debilitating effects of want of direct light on 

 plants are well illustrated by taking a vigorous plant in 

 full foliage and flower, that has been growing in the 

 direct light of our greenhouse benches, and placing it 

 under the bench. If the temperature is high, say seventy 

 degrees, in forty-eight hours, the sickly signs, showing 

 want of light, will be apparent to an experienced eye ; in 

 a week its condition would be such as to indicate sick- 

 ness to the most common observer, and in a month it 

 would most likely be dead. 



