June, 1908 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



125 



The Gloxinia and its Culture 



F. G. Keyes, Ottawa 



FEW flowers equal gloxinias for 

 conservatory decorations during 

 the summer months. Their rare 

 fbeauty, and the ease with which they 



This takes a little time, but it pays, if 

 the best flowers are desired. 



GROWING FROM SEED 



Some difficulty is frequently experi- 



A Well-grown Lot of Gloxinias and other Greenhouse Plants 



In conservatory of Mr. P. G. Keyes, Ottawa 



tcan be grown, should make them even 

 I more popular than they are. They can 

 Ite grown from seed, or from the leaves 

 lof the plant, or may be increased by 

 [cuttings taken from the bulbs after these 

 [have started into growth. Usually many 

 Imore shoots appear than should' be al- 

 lowed to grow. All but one of these 

 lust be cut off close to the surface of 

 the bulb, if the best results are to be 

 obtained. These surplus shoots, if plant- 

 fed in small pots, in light soil, and kept 

 shaded and fairly moist (not too wet) 

 ^vill soon form small bulbs, which, if 

 kept growing until autumn, may then 

 be dried off, and potted for blooming 

 |the following season. 



DO NOT EXPOSE TO SUN 



Gloxinias require, at all times, a 

 moist, warm atmosphere. No direct 

 sunlight should be permitted to fall on 

 the plants cither while growing or when 

 in bloom. 



Five-inch pots are the proper size for 

 rdinary bulbs. It is as well to place 

 them in these at the first potting, and 

 l^thus save the trouble of repotting after 

 I^Bth : bulbs have made some growth. The 

 I^Bsoil should be very light and rich, and 

 I^^Bhe drainage perfect. 



enced by amateurs in obtaining plants 

 from seed, owing to its dust-like pro- 



portions. This can be accomplished, 

 however, by anyone who will take the 

 trouble to purchase two of the ordinary 

 earthen plant saucers, say eight and ten 

 inches in diameter. Place the soil — 

 which should consist of sifted leaf mould, 

 mixed with about one-fifth sand — in the 

 .scaler saucer, and scatter the seeds 

 very thinly on the surface. Sift over 

 them a little fine leaf mould, then place 

 the smaller saucer in the larger one, and 

 cover with glass until the seedlings ap- 

 pear. 



Water should be given when required, 

 pouring it into the larger saucer. Enough 

 will be absorbed by the saucer contain- 

 ing the soil to supply the proper mois- 

 ture. • Care must be taken at all times, 

 not to disturb the soil, as to do so is to 

 court failure. All fine seeds may be 

 grown successfully in this way. 



The gloxinia is rich in color and its 

 color range is wide. From darkest scar- 

 let, it runs through all the reds to palest 

 rose, and from royal purple it shades off 

 into lilac and mauve to purest white. 

 Its great beauty makes it desirable in 

 all conservatories. 



Climbing Plants for the Greenhouse 



A. Alexander, Hamilton, Ontario 



A GREENHOUSE entirely with- 

 out climbers, loses some of the 

 most charming effects. No mat- 

 ter how small and unpretentious it 

 may be, the judicious use of a few 

 climbing plants, adds a charm which 

 nothing else can supply. Not only so, 

 but they may be made to serve as a nat- 

 ural shade in the summer time, instead 



of the usual dirty, smearing of the 

 glass with whiting, or the use of cheese- 

 cloth. 



Some persons object to climbers be- 

 cause they are said to harbor and en- 

 courage insect life, especially nealy-bug. 

 So they do, if allowed ; so do other 

 plants that are not climbers. 



To have them in perfection they are 



IB-' 



t 



WATER WITH CARE 



Care should be taken to see that no 

 vater is allowed on the foliage, and that 

 the plants are not over-watered. Noth- 

 ing is more fatal to the gloxinia than 

 over-watering. The plants .should be 

 watered individually, not collectively. I 

 usually grow about 100 plants each sea- 

 son, and always before watering make 

 it a point to lift each pot in order to 

 make sure that fresh water is needed. 



The Effect of Using Climbers in a Small Greenhouse 

 •StreptOHolen, PaSHJon Klower, Solanuiu and other vinos in (jrtenliouse of Mr. A. Alexander, Hamilton, OnU 



