ALONSOAS 15 



and some of the best are Blue Star, 6 inches, light blue ; 

 Imperial Dwarf, 8 inches, deep lavender-blue ; Little Dorrit, 

 6 inches, lavender ; Snowfllake, 9 inches, white ; Swanley 

 Blue, 9 inches, deep blue ; Victoria Louise, 6 inches, light 

 blue with whitish centre ; and Lavender Band, 5 inches, 

 soft lavender. 



ALONSOA 



** Mask Flower'* 



Delightful alike for beds, borders, or for pot culture, the 

 Alonsoas {Scrophulariacecg) fully deserve a larger measure of 

 popularity than they enjoy. Charmingly elegant, growing 

 from 9 inches to i| foot high, and making dense little bushes 

 that are smothered with brilliant, large-lipped flowers all the 

 Summer through, the Alonsoas possess an unique beauty. 

 Most of the species may be treated as Annuals, but a few of 

 the best are true Half-hardy Annuals. The seeds are small, 

 and must be only just covered with fine, sandy soil ; March 

 is a good time to sow, and a temperature of 60° will be high 

 enough. A sowing out-of-doors in April will give good re- 

 sults. Prick out the seedlings early and plant them, in May 

 or early June, where they have to flower. Six inches apart 

 is sufficient space for the dwarf compact growers, but the 

 taller sorts need more room. 



The chief species are A. linifoHa, i foot to i\ foot high, 

 scarlet ; A. miniata, i foot, bright scarlet ; A.7n. Scarlet Gem, 

 I foot, a fine and brilliant scarlet variety ; A. Mutisii, i foot, 

 pink with crimson centre; and A. Warscewiczii, i\ foot, 

 vermilion-scarlet, with golden stamens. There are some good 

 selected strains of Alonsoas on the market, probably obtained 

 from A. Warscewiczii, and both scarlet and creamy-pink 

 varieties that grow about 9 inches high and are very distinct 

 and beautiful. 



