* 

 THE DEAD-NETTLE FAMILY. 359 



Plectranthns, Coleus, Lavendula, Perilla, Mentha (Mint), Sal- 

 via (Sages), Rosmarinus (Rosemary), Monarda, Origanum 

 (Marjoram), Thy mm (Thyme), Hyssopus (Hyssop), Melissa, 

 Prunella, Scutellaria, Lamium (Dead Nettles), Leonurus, 

 Caleopsis, Stachys, Marrubium, Ballota, Teucrium, Ajuga, and 

 many others. All the annual and many of the perennial 

 Labiates are readily multiplied from seeds sown in the spring. 

 Hardy kinds may be sown in the open-air beds, or in boxes of 

 light soil in a cool frame. Seeds of the tender species should 

 be sown in a gentle bottom-heat, either as soon as ripe or in 

 February or March. In saving and gathering the seeds of 

 these plants, it is necessary to observe that the seeds (nuts) 

 are naked at the base of the persistent calyx ; and unless har- 

 vested at the exact moment of their ripening, many will be lost. 

 The herbaceous and perennial sections of the genus are gen- 

 erally readily multiplied by cuttings or by division of the roots. 

 The curious structure of the floral envelopes and the stamens 

 of Salvia, and many other Labiates, seems to indicate that in- 

 sect agency is essential to their due fecundation : notwith- 

 standing this hint, however, but little has been done by hy- 

 bridists in improving these plants. 



Coleus. A genus of annual or perennial labiates, natives of 

 both Asia and Africa. They strike very freely from cuttings 

 of the young shoots in spring ; and seeds, which are freely pro- 

 duced by C. Vers chaff eltii and its varieties, grow readily in a 

 genial bottom-heat, if sown as soon as ripe. Previous to 1868, 

 these plants were represented in our gardens by about half-a- 

 dozen species, including C. Blumei, a native of Java (' Bot. 

 Mag.,' t. 4754).; C. fruticosus, a well-known old plant from the 

 Cape, often seen in London grown as a pot-plant in windows ; 

 C. Macrcei, a native of Ceylon ('Bot. Mag.,' t. 4690); C. in- 

 flatus^Qt.. Mag.,' t. 5236); C. Vers chaff eltii, C. Gibsonii, C. 

 Veitchii, and one or two others ; while at the present time the 

 varieties are too numerous to mention. In 1867 Mr F. Bause, 

 then propagator in the Royal Horticultural Society's garden at 

 Chiswick, commenced hybridising C. Blumei and the three 

 last-mentioned species, the results being remarkably successful. 

 C. Verschaffeltii was made the seed-bearing parent throughout, 

 simply because the other kinds do not readily supply seed. The 

 following twelve varieties among many others were selected, 

 and sold at Stevens's Rooms by public auction : they realised 

 upwards of ^390. They have been placed by Mr T. Moore 

 into two classes, one group having the plano-crenate leaves of 

 C. Veitchii, while the others have inciso-dentate frilled foliage, 

 as in C. Verschaffeltii. 



