Thunbergias. 153 



THUNBERGIAS. 



This beautiful family, named in honor of the distinguished botanist 

 Thunberg, is less cultivated than its merits deserve. 



Although stove evergreen climbers, many species bloom from seed in a 

 few months ; and their beautiful, delicate, or brilliant flowers are very freely 

 produced. 



The species best known to us is T. alata (winged) and its varieties ; and 

 these are usually grown as hardy or frame annuals. 



The seeds are brownish-black, roundish, with a hole in the upper part, 

 and resemble a sea-urchin in miniature. 



If they are planted by the last of April in a frame, they will vegetate 

 freely ; and should be transplanted to the border about June i, where they 

 will soon begin to bloom, continuing until touched by the frost. Seed 

 planted the latter part of May in the open border will give flower, but by 

 no means so early as the transplanted roots. 



Cuttings of the young shoots taken off any time during the summer may 

 be easily struck in sandy soil under a bell-glass. 



These plants, grown on neat trellises, are also ver}' useful for summer 

 decoration of the greenhouse ; for which purpose they should be potted verj' 

 early in spring, in peat, loam, and well-decomposed dung. As fast as the 

 roots fill the pots, the plants should be repotted ; and, until the plants are 

 of the required size, every flower-bud should be picked off. When of a 

 proper size, the plants may be allowed to set bloom, which will soon cover 

 every stem. 



The great obstacle to the culture of these plants in the house is their 

 liability to the attacks of red spider. There is no plant more infested with 

 this pest ; and the only way to keep him in subjection is the daily use of 

 the syringe. The beauty of the plants, however, will repay the trouble. 



In the house, the plants should be trained to neat trellises ; out of doors, 

 they may be thus grown, or allowed to trail and spread on the ground, 

 where they make a mat of verdure dotted with lovely flowers. 



2\ alata is bufT-yellow, the variety alba is white, aiirantiaca is dark-orange ; 

 and there are varieties of all with dark black eyes. 



