PATENS 63 



as advised for Calceolarias. As a rule cuttings are plentiful, 

 the tips of the growths being used, cut 2 or 3 inches in length, 

 and always immediately below a joint. If a cold frame is 

 available and the rooted cuttings can remain until planting out 

 time in April, they should be at least 2 inches apart in the rows, 

 or even 3 inches, but if boxes or pans are used and stood in 

 cold houses, then they may be closer together, for in all prob- 

 ability it would be found necessary to transplant or pot them off 

 in March. A fair proportion of the cuttings emit roots within 

 six weeks, but a certain proportion, probably one-third, do not 

 root until February. Winter treatment should aim at keeping 

 them moist without being wet, ventilating them after sprinkling 

 until the time when they begin to make growth. From then 

 onward they will need more copious waterings, but always on 

 a well-drained soil. 



PATENS 



There are very few blue flowers that can compare with the 

 beautiful blue S. Patens, hence its popularity. 



In autumn the plants are taken up and cut down, the tubers 

 or long, fleshy roots being stored where dryness and warmth 

 can be afforded them. They are very tender, and very little 

 frost will kill them outright. In March they are fetched out of 

 store, cleaned and trimmed, and potted into 48*8. If space is 

 an important consideration, then they can be boxed, but we 

 find better results from the potted plants. Give warm, moist 

 treatment, and as the young growths are thrown up take them 

 off low down as cuttings and insert them around the edges of 

 pots, using a porous soil with inch coarse silver sand on the 

 surface. Keep them in the propagating case till rooted, when 

 they can be taken out and potted into 6o's, still being kept 

 warm. In April transfer them to a cooler house to harden off. 



SAL VIA PRIDE OF ZURICH 



This in every respect differs widely from S. Patens. Colour, 

 habit, root system, all are as different as possible. Salvias of the 

 Zurich type serve a multitude of purposes. They make admir- 

 able and showy pot plants for early summer as well as for the 



