TENDER BEDDING PLANTS 345 



cultivation as a pot plant for the greenhouse, as it produces 

 brilliant red and yellow flowers in July. 



The Echeverias thrive in ordinary garden soil, but they do not 

 care for heavy, moist ground. They are readily increased by offsets 

 or by leaves, put in pots in a warm house in autumn. 



FUCHSIAS 



The hardier of the Fuchsias, such as Corallina and Riccartoni, 

 are sometimes introduced into beds and flower borders, but one 

 can hardly speak of them as bedding 

 plants in the ordinary sense. When they 

 are used in the garden they are generally 

 planted permanently, and cut to the ground 

 every autumn. In cold districts it is well 

 to cover the root-stocks with litter in 

 November. The garden Fuchsias are par- 

 ticularly graceful plants. 



HELIOTROPE 



ECHRVBRIAS PROPAGATION 



There is no reason why lovers of the A, leaf inserted in sandy soil; B, 



stone placed on the heel of the 



fragrant " Cherry Pie " should not introduce leaf to keep u firm; c, offset in- 



. serted in sandy soil. 



it into their flower-beds, as well as grow 



it for adorning and perfuming the conservatory. The colours are 

 not varied, it is true, but there are several shades of blue, and 

 one or two in which rosy tints prevail. There are also white, or 

 nearly white varieties. The richer hues, such as purplish blue 

 and violet, will be found the most effective in beds. 



Heliotropes are tender plants, and ought not to be put into the 

 garden before the end of May. While they are not really par- 

 ticular as to soil, they do not grow to perfection in a close, reten- 

 tive medium. On this account the soil ought to be thoroughly 



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