USEFUL GREENHOUSE PLANTS 153 



in the dwelling-house for a long time. They are of easy culture, and 

 need plenty of water when growing. 



Castor Oil Plants. See Eicinus. 



Gelosia. The brilliantly coloured plume-like flowers of Celosia 

 pyramidalis are much admired, and the plants are welcome in the 

 greenhouse, or bedded out of doors. The colours vary from pale yellow 

 to crimson through various intermediate shades, some of the tints being 

 remarkably vivid. Another Celosia is the Cockscomb, whose large, 

 velvety-like crimson heads are strangely picturesque. All the Celosias 

 are sown in a gentle heat in spring, and grown on freely in good, rich 

 soil. They are not in the least difficult to grow. 



Gelsia. There are two species of Celsia, both of which are valuable 

 for the decoration of the greenhouse. Celsia cretica grows to a height 

 of four to five feet, and is studded for the greater part of that distance 

 with golden-yellow blossoms, while 0. Arcturus is only about half the 

 height and more branching. Both produce seeds freely, which should 

 be sown in spring in ordinary soil. 



Century Plant. See Agave americana. 



Cherry Pie. See Heliotrope. 



Chorozema. A pretty class of slender growing shrubs, natives of 

 Australia, all of which bear in profusion small pea-shaped blossoms of 

 some shade of yellow or red. They need much the same treatment as 

 the Indian Azalea, and are not plants for the ordinary greenhouse, or 

 for a beginner. 



Cineraria. A wealth of blossom is furnished by the huge massive 

 heads of the garden varieties of Cineraria, among which many different 

 tints are represented. White flowers are, of course, always popular, and 

 in direct contrast to this an intense purple-blue often occurs among the 

 Cinerarias. An objection urged by some against these Cinerarias is 

 their lumpy style of growth. Such objection, however, cannot be urged 

 against some of the newer hybrids, obtained by the crossing of a few of 

 the original species. 



These are taller in growth than the others, and the individual 

 flowers are much smaller, but they are borne in great profusion, and 

 the entire plant is light and graceful. The long sprays, too, are valuable 

 for cutting. 



The usual method of increasing the Cineraria is by means of seed, 

 which should be sown about May, though, when grown in quantity, two 

 or three sowings are needful to maintain a succession. The seed is 

 small, and care should be taken not to sow it too thickly. If sown 

 lightly, it will soon germinate, and when the young plants are large 

 enough put them out singly into small pots. A light, airy position in 

 a frame will suit them in this stage, and when sufficiently advanced 

 they may be shifted into the pots in which they are to flower. Some 

 prefer pots six inches in diameter for all the Cinerarias, but good 

 examples may be grown in five-inch size, using, however, the larger 

 size for the vigorous plants. A mixture of two-thirds loam to one-third 

 leaf-mould, with a little sand, is very suitable for the Cineraria. In all 

 stages of growth they are liable to be attacked by aphides or green-fly, 



