338 



Gardening for Amateurs 



out frost, as Schizanthus does not thrive in 

 too high a temperature. Ordinary loamy 

 soil is suitable. The seedlings should be 

 placed in baskets eight or ten weeks from 

 the date of sowing the seeds. In lining the 

 baskets, place a few of the young plants 

 between the wires to ensure the bottom of 

 the basket being hidden when the plants 

 are in flower. 



Sedum. Two of the Sedums, or Stone- 

 crops, S. Sieboldii and S. sarmentosum (car- 

 neum) variegatum deserve attention. S. 

 Sieboldii is a Japanese plant with trailing 

 stems and green leaves. There is also a 

 variety with creamy-white blotches on the 

 leaves. S. sarmentosum variegatum is a 

 Chinese plant, having small, creamy-white 

 leaves streaked with green and pink. The 

 long, slender growths hang down and com- 

 pletely cover the soil in the basket. Cut- 

 tings root readily in sandy soil from Feb- 

 ruary to August. S. Sieboldii is readily 

 increased by division in spring. As the 

 common name of Stonecrop suggests, these 

 plants must have ample drainage in the 

 soil. A good compost consists of equal parts 

 of sandy loam, leaf-mould, and old mortar 

 rubble. 



Sophronitis grandiflora. This is a 

 brilliant little Orchid from Brazil, which 

 does quite well in a cool greenhouse ; the 

 flowers are orange red. It may be grown 

 in a small basket, on a block of wood or 

 cork. Suitable soil consists of peat, sphag- 

 num moss, and a few pieces of charcoal. 

 The flowering season is winter and early 

 spring. Increase by division in spring. 

 The plants have no distinct resting season, 

 moisture being necessary throughout the 

 year. 



Thunbergia. The elegant, slender 

 growths of this South African twining plant 

 render it a very desirable plant for hanging 

 baskets. It is only an annual, and seeds 

 must be sown each year from February to 

 April in the warmest position in the green- 

 house. In the early stages of growth the 

 young plants delight in a warm, moist 

 atmosphere. The soil should be light and 

 rich, composed of sandy loam, leaf-mould, 

 and old manure, adding plenty of coarse 

 sand. From seeds sown in spring the plants 

 blossom freely throughout the summer and 



autumn. Thunbergia alata has buff-coloured 

 flowers with black centre ; the variety 

 alba has white ; and aurantiaca, orange 

 flowers. 



Tradescantia Zebrina. This Spider- 

 wort is one of the easiest basket plants to 

 manage in a room, and is unsurpassed for 

 a cold greenhouse. It is readily propa- 

 gated by cuttings at any season, and thrives 

 in ordinary soils. The trailing stems are 

 freely clothed with green and white striped 

 leaves, and in summer sometimes develop 

 rosy -purple flowers. A highly decorative 

 variety, called tricolor, of which the leaves 

 are marked with red, white, and green, 

 needs the temperature of a warm green- 

 house to be really successful, and light, 

 sandy, peaty soil. 



Tulips. To advise the cultivation of 

 Tulips in baskets may at first sight appear 

 rather absurd, yet when grown in this way 

 the Parrot Tulips at once become firm 

 favourites. Naturally of a loose habit of 

 growth, they are well suited to hanging 

 baskets, the gaudy yellow, red, or scarlet 

 and gold flowers producing a gorgeous 

 effect. September is a good time to place 

 the bulbs in the baskets ; twenty -five to 

 fifty may be used in each, according to 

 its size. 



Ferns for Hanging Baskets. A lengthy 

 list of ferns suitable for hanging-baskets 

 could be given, as many kinds, by their 

 mode of growth readily lend themselves to 

 such treatment. Valuable ferns for small 

 baskets in the cool greenhouse are the 

 Japanese Squirrel's-foot Fern (Davallia 

 bullata), and the variety Mariesii, the Hare's 

 foot Fern (D. canariensis), the so-called 

 bulb-bearing fern (Asplenium bulbiferum) ; 

 Aspleniums caudatum (with long, narrow 

 fronds), flaccidum, and obtusilobum. The 

 Stag's-horn Fern (Platycerium alcicorne) is 

 an object of much interest when growing on 

 a piece of wood covered with peat and moss 

 and suspended from the greenhouse roof or 

 wall, or hanging in the window of a room. 

 Adiantum Capillus-Veneris and the varieties 

 Mariesii and imbricatum (all Maidenhair 

 Ferns) are attractive in small baskets, and 

 the Golden Polypody (Polypodium aureum) 

 makes a useful fern for a large basket. 

 Pteris scaberula thrives even better in 



