HARDY HERBACEOUS PLANTS 105 



they are nearly as fine as prize Gloxinias. The colours, too, are 

 rich and diversified. 



The flower gardener who cannot afford a collection of the 

 named varieties should get a packet of seeds from one of the 

 firms that specialise in Pentstemons. If he sows under glass early 

 in the year he will get flowering plants the same season. Or he 

 may sow outdoors in May or June for flowering the following 

 year. He is almost certain to get several varieties of the highest 

 merit, and he can mark them, and propagate them by cuttings 

 in October, in order to keep them true. It will be gathered 

 that the Pentstemon is an easily managed plant. There are few 

 more so. If any difficulty arises it is likely to be owing to over- 

 flowering. It is a fault of the right sort, of course, but it is apt 

 to be rather embarrassing, all the same. The plants may throw 

 their whole energies into the formation of flower stems and the 

 sustenance of the huge and brilliant bells that form thereon, so 

 that when autumn arrives there is not a scrap of growth from 

 which to make cuttings. Thus the grower finds himself in 

 serious danger of being unable to increase his favourite varieties. 

 He must exercise foresight, and if he sees that the plants are 

 flowering hard, and making no leaf shoots, he must remove the 

 flower spikes early in September, by which time they may have 

 passed their best, and put a little rich, moist soil round the 

 plants. This will probably have the effect of causing them to 

 throw up fresh shoots, that may be taken off any time in October, 

 or even November, preferably about three inches long, and inserted 

 firmly in sandy soil in an unheated frame or glass-covered box. 

 They will make little or no growth before spring, and it is not 

 desired that they should. They will grow steadily, however, when 

 the warm weather comes, and soon make sturdy plants. 



A bed of Pentstemons is almost, if not quite, as beautiful as a 

 bed of Gladioli, and it can be had at much less cost. There is a 

 certain, though not a close, similarity between the two plants. 



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