GREENHOUSE AND HOTHOUSE FLOWERS 163 



matured leaf, nick the mid-rib in several places, and lay it on 

 the surface of a pot of soil; or (and this has been found to 

 answer well) to retain the leaf-stalk when the leaf is picked off 

 the plant, and insert it in the soil up to the base of the leaf; 

 making what might be called a leaf cutting. These are all 

 interesting methods of increasing a plant which, when it first 

 came out, puzzled the propagators because it did not seed, and 

 flowered so profusely that it was impossible to find shoots 

 suitable for making cuttings. 



The fibrous-rooted Begonias like the temperature of an inter- 

 mediate house. They will thrive in the mixtures of soil previously 

 recommended. Most of them are easily propagated by cuttings. 



Bougainvillea. The Bougainvillea is a very vigorous plant, which 

 rambles freely, and produces a profusion of beautiful bracts, that are 

 commonly spoken of as the flowers. The real blossoms are of no 

 beauty, but the bracts are very gay, the colour being rosy lilac, 

 deepening in some forms to brilliant rose. In warm countries the 

 Bougainvillea will thrive out of doors, as in Algiers, where the 

 splendid specimen shown in the coloured plate was growing, but 

 in this country they are best planted out in the border of an inter- 

 mediate house, and trained up the roof. A number of side growths 

 will push from the main stems, and flower abundantly ; after bloom- 

 ing they can be pruned in, and a fresh crop will come the following 

 year. The plant does not require any special soil, and is easily 

 propagated by cuttings. The variety spectabilis superba is about 

 the best, but glabra is the more grown. 



Bouvardia. A great favourite, for not only does it produce its 

 pretty blooms in abundance, but they are pleasantly perfumed. 

 It flowers best in an intermediate house, but it may be grown in 

 a frame throughout the summer. Ordinary potting soil suits it 

 indeed, it is quite an accommodating plant, giving very little trouble. 

 It may be propagated by cuttings of the stems, but bits of root 

 strike so freely that this method of increase is now generally 



