BEDDING PLANTS. 55 



putting on colors much superior to wliat we usually see indoors. Some 

 of the higher colored varieties are unsuited for this work, as they need a 

 high temperature at night as well as during the day. The following are 

 the kinds which I have found reliable: C. Lady Zetland, C, pictura, C. 

 aucubsefolium, C. chrysophyllum (one of the most satisfactory), C. 

 multicolor, C. interruptum, C. Veitchii and C. Weismanui. As these may 

 be grown successfully from 10 to 15 degrees cooler than C. Reidi, C. 

 Challenger and others of that section, they should be given a trial even 

 in the Northern States. The principal batch of cuttings for bedding 

 plants is taken beginning of September. If there is no bottom heat by 

 that time they will root splendidly in a close propagating frame. With 

 bottom heat they root in the open bed, and the cuttings may be quite 

 large. Allow quite a quantity of roots to form before potting. A mini- 

 mum temperature of 60 degrees will be found sufficient during Winter 

 for the above varieties. Before putting them in the ground they must 

 be very gradually hardened off otherwise they are apt to lose the lower 

 leaves. Old plants should be given a top-dressing of bone meal and 

 plunged out, to furnish cuttings. 



COLEUS— Owing to the easy way in which young plants are got up 

 their rapid growth and very ornamental foliage, when planted out, the 

 very numerous kinds will continue to be popular bedding plants. In 

 Winter young plants should not be subjected to a lower temperature 

 than 55 degrees. From a few plants grown from cuttings, put in dur- 

 ing the beginning of September, a large quantity of young plants may 

 be raised in Spring. In this latitude we have little use for hotbeds. In 

 other localities, where the nights are colder during April and the first 

 half of May, the hotbed is an indispensable adjunct to the greenhouse 

 for developing plants such as Coleus from late rooted cuttings. 



COSMOS BIPINNATUS— To have the plants complete their growth 

 early the seed should be sown indoors, or on a hotbed by the middle of 

 March. Give the seedlings enough light to avoid weak growth. Plant 

 out in rather sandy soil, and not too heavily manured. C. sulphureus 

 has yellow flowers; late blooming plants of it may be lifted and put in 

 large pots, or planted out in a bench where there is abundant head 

 room. When grown on stiff soil the plants fift easily. Some of the 

 more robust shoots may be removed, owing to the loss of some of the 

 roots in removing. In this way they will give a large quantity of bloom 

 up till the middle of December. 



Supports for the Plants — We frequently see a very promising crop of 

 Cosmos laid flat on the ground by a moderate wind storm, which not 

 only breaks half, or more, of the branches, but the flowers on those 

 which are left are at least a week later than usual in making their 

 appearance and have crooked stems into the bargain. Drive in a fence 

 post at each end of the row, stout in proportion to the length of row, 

 with smaller posts at intervals between; knock in some small wire 

 staples at convenient heights in the post; let one man unwind wire or 

 strong string at one end of the row, and another take the end of the 

 wire or string and put through the staples, securing firmly to the strong 

 posts at each end. Two or three stretches to each row will suffice, and 



