Franeoa 



( 351 



Freesia 



also furnished with an iron handle across the top 

 end, and braced together by a bar of iron across the 

 middle of tlie lower side to strengthen the fabric. 

 The longitudinal bars carrying the glass should be 

 as thin as possible compatible with strength and 

 durability, so as not to obstruct the light. The 

 wood of the four sides of the frame should be \\" 

 to Ik" thick, fitted closely together to exclude air, 

 and strengthened at the angles inside with upright 

 bars of wood. A wooden bearer to carry the lights 

 should be fitted down the middle of the frame, 

 with a rib of wood along the middle of it to keep 

 the sashes in place. A ilange of wood should be 

 nailed along the outside of the two sides for the 

 same purpose, and the sashes should fit in their 

 places exactly. The frame may be 18" deep at the 

 back and 13" to II" in front, or any other depth in 

 that proportion. This will suffice to carry off rain 

 or melting snow in winter. A three-light frame 

 ha.- simply an additional width for another sash, 

 but it is less convenient for moving about. The 

 depth of frames should never he greater than is 

 sullirient to hold the necessary soil and ac- 

 commodate the plants, so that the latter may 

 always be close to the glass to prevent their being 

 drawn. 



FRANCO A. 



Handsome herbaceous perennials (ord. Snxi- 

 fragea;), which are only hardy in warm localities 

 and in sheltered positions, unless covered with a 

 few inches of litter. They may, however, be 

 grown in pots and planted out in summer. The 

 beautiful " Bridal Wreath " ramosa is charming 

 when planted out in rockwork in large conserva- 

 tories. The hardiest is sonchifolia. Propagation, 

 by division of the plants in spring, or by seeds 

 sown in slight heat in spring, and the plants- 

 hardened off if for outdoor work. A rather dry, 

 sandy soil suits 



Principal Species : 

 appendiculatii, '1\' , Jy., sonchifolia, 2.J-', Jy., pur. 



pur. C-\y. rupestris). 



ramosa, 2V, Jy., wh. 



FRANKENIA. (SEA HKATH.) 



Small plants (<>rd. Frankeniaceas) of little garden 

 value, but interesting to some Alpine growers. 

 They grow in sandy loam and peat, and are in- 

 creased by division, seeds, or cuttings. 



Principal Species : 

 ericifolia, 3", Jy., hlf- intermedia, Nothria, 



Inly., red. etc.). 



hirsuta, 3", Jy., pale bl., la>vis, !)", Jy.,pk. 



red (.lynx. hispida, nodittora, 3", Je., pk. 



FRANSERIA. 



Hardy ami half-hardy annual or perennial herbs 

 (iird. Composite). Artemisiodes, 5' to (>', July, is 

 the only species of note ; it does best when treated 

 as a half-hardy biennial, can be easily raised from 

 seeds, and prefers a light, loamy soil. 



FRASERA. 



A small genus of North American herbs (ord. 

 Oeotlaneea). A wet position is sometimes pre- 

 scribed for carolinensis, but it grows naturally in 

 dry soil. Propagation, by seeds sown in spring. 



Principal Species : 



carolinensis, 3', Je., yel., wh., br. dots. 



Franciscea (sec Urunfelsia). 

 i'rancisfia (<M llnririiiia). 

 Frankinccmc (sec Pimix Tieda). 



FRAXINUS. (ASH.) 



Ornamental, hardy, deciduous trees, of much 

 beauty, but to be avoided in small gardens, where 

 their roots rob the scil and the branches over^ 

 shadow other plants. Propagation, by grafting in 

 the various forms, and by seeds for the species. 

 The seeds are gathered in October, mixed with 

 sand, and laid in a pit or heap until February, 

 when they are sown in beds. The seedlings are 

 transplanted when about two years old to a 

 nursery bed, there to remain till large enough to 

 be planted permanently. Any good soil will do. 



Principal Species and Varieties : 



americana, White Ash, gato,crispa. foliis argen- 



40', Ap., My., wh. teis, heterophylla, h. 



(xyns. acuminata, alba, variegata, h. laciniata, 



curvidens, glauca, etc.). lutea, monstrosa, myr- 



This has several vars., tifolia, peudula, Weut- 



latifolia, microcarpa, worthii, scolopeudri- 



aucubicfolia, and foliis folia, and spectabilis 



argenteis variegatis are good, 



being the most desir- Oruus, Manna or Flowt-r- 



able. ing Ash, 30', My., grn., 



excelsior, Common Ash, wh. (syns. pam'culata, 



30' to 80', Mch., Ap., europtea, etc.). (See p. 



yel., grn. There are 3.30.) A fine species, 



many vars. ; aucubav good vars. being an- 



folia,amart8sima,aurea, gustifolia, latifolia, and 



a.pendula.cortice varie- variegata. 



Other Species, Hybrid, and Varieties : 



angustifolia, My., grh., nigra, 30', My. (xyn. 



wh. (syns. rostrata, sambucifolia). 



salicifolia, etc.). parvifolia, 20', My. ; var. 



anoniala, 5'. pendula. 



caroliniana, 30', Je. (sipis, peunsylvanica, 20', My. ; 



americana of Marsh, vars., foliis argenteis, 



nigrescens, etc.). margiuatis, and lauceo- 



cliinensis, 5'. lata. 



expansa, 30', My., hybrid quadrangulata, 30', My. 



(americana X viridis). 



FREESIA. 



Description. Beautiful greenhouse or con- 

 servatory bulbous plants (ord. Irideas), which are 

 also of much value for growing in windows. They 

 have beautiful, fragrant flowers, and are of re- 

 markably easy cultivation. In a few gardens, even 

 in the north, they are grown very successfully in 

 cold frames, planted out, and with only a mat over 

 them in severe frosts. The cut flowers last long in 

 water. 



Propagation. By offsets, removed when the 

 plants are at rest, or by seeds, sown under glass 

 a> soon as ripe. 



Soil. Two parts of loam, and one part each of 

 leaf soil and well-decayed cow manure. 



Other Cultural Points. The bulbs may be potted 

 in successive batches from August onwards, and 

 plunged until growth begins, when they may be 

 introduced into gentle heat, plentiful supplies of 

 water being given at this time. Failures with 

 Freesias frequently occur from the want of water. 

 Air should also be freely given in favourable 

 weather. Old bulbs ought to be shaken out of the 

 soil in August and repotted, the smaller bulbs 

 being planted separately to increase in size. 

 Seedlings may be pricked out into pots or pans 

 when large enough, and grown on in frames where 

 frost is excluded. It cannot be too strongly 

 pointed out that the Freesia dislikes a very high 

 temperature when in growth, though it should be 

 roasted in the sun when it has completed growth 

 after flowering. 



