202 



THE FLORISTS' MANUAL. 



this species soon, take root in sand or 

 sandy soil, and become compact, tuft- 

 ed little plants in a few months when 

 grown in an ordinary fern house. 



S. viticulosa illustrates another form 

 of growth that we find in this diverse 

 family, this species being better 

 adapted for use as a pot plant than 

 to be mingled in a fernery, its branch- 

 lets being large and standing up like 

 the fronds of a fern. These branchlets 

 are thrown up from creeping stems, 

 and do not root readily, consequently 

 the propagation of this plant usually 

 depends upon division, or from spores. 

 A good idea of this handsome species 

 may be had from the accompanying 

 photograph. 



S. serpens is a singular member of 

 this family that is quite common in 

 gardens and forms a dense mat of 

 closely rooting branchlets on the sur- 

 face of the soil. The great peculiarity 

 of this species isi found in its changes 

 of color during the day, the foliage be- 

 ing bright green in the morning, but 

 gradually becomes much paler, as 

 though bleached by the light, finally 

 resuming its lively green hue at night. 



Of the selaginellas that are especial- 

 ly valuable for private collections or 

 for exhibition purposes a long list 

 might easily be made, and prominent 

 among them should be mentioned such 

 beautiful species as S. Wallichii, S. 

 Vogelii, S. Lyallii, S. Wildenovii, that 

 very strong growing scandent species 

 with the strong metallic tints on its 

 foliage, a species that has been tossed 

 about on the waves of nomenclature, 

 being sometimes S. caesia arborea, 

 again S. laevigata, and finally S. Wil- 

 denovii. Also S. haematodes, S. atro- 

 virides, and S. rubricaulis, all of which 

 are worthy of more extended cultiva- 

 tion, though not all are quite so easy 

 to manage as the few we have special- 

 ly referred to for commercial purposes. 



W. H. T. 



SHADING. 



I have had occasion to mention 

 shading many times in reference to 

 plants that need it under glass. We 

 are as yet without any portable shad- 

 ing that can be adjusted to our com- 

 mercial greenhouses. The wooden slat 

 shading applied' to some private con- 

 servatories is out of the question for 

 the commercial man, and if expense 

 did 1 not forbid, it is too dense. 



Many of our plants that thrive in 

 the broad sun will burn up under 

 unshaded glass. This last July having 

 occasion to remove the glass in a 

 house to paint and reglaze, we left 

 many plants standing on the benches 

 fully exposed to sun and air. Among 

 them I noticed Primula obconica and 

 P. Forbesii and several kinds of flow- 

 ering begonias. Before the glass was 

 put on again, perhaps three weeks, the 

 plants had made a great improvement 

 in their growth, strong and robust. 

 If the glass had been on without shad- 

 ing it would have been a different 

 story. 



We can at least use a light cloth 

 on our frames over such plants as 



cyclamen and others that are much 

 the best in frames during summer. 

 A stout pole a little longer than the 

 width of the frame with cheese cloth 

 tacked to it is easily and quickly un- 

 rolled or rolled up. 



We frequently are tardy in putting 

 on shading and then daub on a heavy 

 coat. Put on a thin coat where needed 

 and add another when the sun is 

 stronger, and if you will go to the 

 trouble of plunging many of our com- 

 mon plants in refuse hops or decayed 

 leaves you will find th'3ir growth much 

 better, and you can delay or dispense 

 with shading entirely. 



Supposing you have a house full of 

 geraniums or cannas which, as soon 

 as sold, say end of May or early June, 

 will be filled with chrysanthemums. 

 If you shade for these plants you must 



well supplied with its bright red ber- 

 ries. Its leaves are bright green, 

 holly-like, and the plant has a fine, 

 compact habit. Small plants not over 

 one foot in height are of most use. 



It can be raised easily from seed or 

 cuttings in the usual way, made from 

 the young growths in spring. Cut back 

 the shoots slightly in February and 

 give it a good light house and warmth 

 and moisture. After flowering and 

 the berries are set they can be plunged 

 in a frame out of doors and removed 

 to a cool greenhouse before frost. 



S. oblata is said to be still more 

 handsome and needs the same treat- 

 ment. 



Any good loam will grow them, and 

 except when growing in the spring 

 they thrive in a cool house. 



Selaginella Viticulosa. 



certainly brush it off again for the 

 mums for they don't want and must 

 not have any shade. Quite as impor- 

 tant as putting it on early with such 

 plants as palms and ferns is taking 

 it off in good time. Begin end of 

 August to remove the shade and by 

 middle of October have it all off. 



We are frequently asked what is 

 the best material? We have tried 

 many mixtures, and best of all like 

 naphtha and white lead without any 

 oil. We tried common coal oil in- 

 stead of naphtha, but it is too greasy. 

 Try the mixture before you settle on 

 the thickness of it. 



We have also tried applying it with 

 a syringe, and are entirely opposed to 

 it. It saves labor but you will use 

 more material than will twice pay 

 for the labor, and when put on with 

 a long handled brush it is properly 

 done. This mixture rubs off easily 

 when dry and the hose makes a clean 

 job of it. 



SKIMMIA JAPONICA. 



This is a greenhouse shrub from 

 Japan and is very ornamental when 



SMILAX (MYRSIPHYLLUM ASPAR- 

 AGOIDES). 



This useful climber and twin-er 

 seems to have been grown here com- 

 mercially long before its great use- 

 fulness was appreciated in Europe. 

 Though the more graceful looking as- 

 paragus has superseded it in our deco- 

 rations it is still a standard article 

 with all commercial florists, and in fu- 

 neral decorations there is no equal to 

 it. 



One author says it is propagated 

 by "seeds, cuttings and divisions." I 

 have never heard of its being rooted 

 from cuttings, and to divide it would 

 be absurd as it is so easily raised from 

 seed. 



Seed should be sown in flats and 

 covered an eighth of an inch, in Feb- 

 ruary. Good fresh soil is now always 

 supplied. When two or three inches 

 high pot off into 2-inch pots and 

 keep in a temperature anywhere above 

 50 degrees. If you expect the best re- 

 sults from your newly planted bed 

 you ought by, middle of May to give 

 these little plants another shift into 



