SCABIOUS 83 



SCABIOUS 



" Sweet Scabious " 



The double-flowered Scabious (see Plate VI) are among 

 the most useful of plants for borders or for cutting. 

 They are not so double as to be heavy, the colours are 

 good and the stems wiry, consequently the blooms are 

 highly serviceable for indoor decoration. Messrs. Dobbie and 

 Co. have developed a particularly fine-flowered and robust 

 strain that is far in advance of the older forms, and it lacks 

 nothing in variety of colour. The latter ranges from white 

 through yellow shades, pink, salmon, lilac, blue, and rose, 

 to scarlet, purple, and the darkest crimson. These Sweet 

 Scabious have been evolved from the South European 

 Scabiosa atropurpurea {Dipsacece). Other annual species are : 

 5. brachiata, 2 feet, various (syn. 5. palcEstmd) ; 5. stellata, 

 if foot, pink or white. 



An outdoor sowing in April will produce plants for late 

 flowering, but the best method is to raise a stock in gentle 

 heat in early March and plant out in May, The Scabious 

 like a deep rich soil, and if placed a foot or more apart they 

 will branch freely and continue to flower all the season. 

 One slender stake to each plant will provide ample support 

 against winds and heavy rains. 



SCHIZANTHUS 



*' Butterfly Flower" 



Although the Schizanthuses {Solanacece) are either Hardy 

 or Half-hardy Annuals they are not often a great success in 

 the open garden. As conservatory or greenhouse plants 

 they occupy a high position, and the fine selections brought 

 forward in recent years have done much to make the plants 

 popular. This is not the place to consider their merits as 



