Coleus 



( 230 ) 



Collinsia 



COLEUS. 



The Coleuses usually cultivated in our plant 

 houses are the result of careful cross-breeding; 

 verv few of the species being considered suf- 

 ficiently handsome to merit the attention of the 

 gardener. No plant gives better results with so 

 little trouble than the Coleus. Its magnificently 

 coloured foliage imparts a charm to any glass 

 structure during the warmer months ot the year. 



COLEUS 11ns. TOLWOKTHY. 



The interesting species thyrsoideus, introduced 

 from Central Africa in 1897, assumes a branching 

 habit with a little pinching, and produces long 

 spikes of bright blue flowers at Christmas. The 

 leaves are green. 



Propagation. Cuttings may be inserted at any 

 time after the turn of the year, providing a 

 minimum temperature of 55 to 60 can be main- 

 tained. Where conveniences do not exist for 

 keeping Coleuses through the winter, very orna- 

 mental plants, in some respects equal to named 

 varieties, can be raised from seed. This should be 

 sown at the end of February or beginning of 

 March in deep pans, well drained, and filled with 

 a light compost containing plenty of sharp sand. 

 Sow thinly, and place the pans in a temperature 

 of (>5 minimum, pricking off the seedlings when 

 quite small into other pans, thence into small pots, 

 until by the end of April they are ready for a 

 shift into 4J" pots. Useful plants may be grown 

 in this size; or they may be shifted on as growth 

 demands into 6" and 8" pots. The strongest-grow- 

 ing plants are invariably those with a preponder- 

 ance of green in their foliage, and these may be 

 removed early from the seed pans and thrown 

 away, retaining and potting up the weaker-grow- 

 ing varieties. 



Other Cultural Points. Growth is very rapid 

 indeed under favourable conditions, and the plants 



should bo transferred to pots two sizes larger at 

 every shift, until the maximum size is attained, 

 using rich soil and potting firmly to ensure luxuri- 

 ance of foliage \vith a short-jointed growth. 

 Pinching is generally resorted to for keeping 

 the plants bushy and shapely. Coleuses may, 

 with care, be trained to cover a balloon- or 

 umbrella-shaped trellis, and make very effective 

 objects grown in this manner ; or they may be 

 trained to cover a wall in the stove or conserv- 

 atory. In whatever manner grown, whether from 

 cuttings or seeds, the fact should never be lost 

 sight "of that it is only when "rootbouud," that 

 isf the pots well filled with roots, that Coleuses 

 assume their most gorgeous colours 



A Selection of Varieties : 

 Baron Kothscliilcl. Pineapple Beauty. 



Countess of Dudley. Pride of the Market. 



Decorator (sff J>. '2ol). Tete d'Or. 



Mrs. Tolworthy (we Vesuvius. 



figure). 



Some of the Species : 



b;irl>;ltus, 2' t 



Blumei, wh., pur. 

 (iibsonii. pur. 

 inflatus, 3', lil. 

 Malioui, 14', Mch., pur. 



pietus, U', gm., yel.. hr. 



scutellarioides, bl. . wh. 



thyrsoideus, 3', Jan. to 

 Mch., bl. 



Verschaffeltii, bronze foli- 

 age, useful bedder. 



COLEWORT. 



A quick-growing, immature Cabbage, which use- 

 fully fills the place of Cabbages proper at a time 

 when these are not available. The Kosette Cole- 

 wort is the sort generally grown, and three sowings 

 are generally found sufficient to meet all demands. 

 March, May, and July are the months for sowing, 

 and the seedlings are grown in the .same way as 

 ordinary Cabbages, with the exception that they 

 are planted so "thickly as to allow of every other 

 one being drawn for use, and still leave sufficient 

 plants to yield a full crop. Eighteen inches be- 

 tween the 'rows, and 4" to 6" between the plants, 

 is a reasonable distance at which to plant. 



COLLABIUM. 



Two species of stove terrestrial Orchids (ord. 

 Orchidacen?) constitute this genus. The flowers 

 are borne in long, many-flowered racemes. Prop- 

 na-ation is by division ; and for soil, two parts of 

 fibrous peat, one part of loam, and one part of 

 chopped sphagnum, with sand, may be used. 



Only Species : 

 nebulosum. simplex, grn., yel. 



COLLETIA. 



Greenhouse or half-hardy shrubs (ord. Rham- 

 neje), with spiny branches. The petals are 

 wanting, and the coloured calyx is the showy 

 part of the flower. Increase is by cuttings of the 

 half-ripened shoots in a close frame in spring. 

 Soil, good sandy loam. 

 Principal Species : 



sis, horrida, and poly- 

 acantha). 



cruciata. 4', stem prickly 

 (KI/IIK, armata, bictonen- 



ulicina, 2' to 4'. 



COLLINSIA. 



A genus of about eighteen species of pretty, hardy 

 annuals (ord. Scrophularinese), which are suitable 

 for the decoration of the garden in summer or, if 

 sown in autumn, in spring. Bicolor is a well- 



Collania of Herbert (see Jiomarea). 

 Collamm uf Sclmltes (see Urceolina). 

 Collcmbolti (see imprint/tails). 



