Gardening for Amateurs 



725 



Calceolaria. The Calceolarias of the 

 herbaceous section are among the most 

 gorgeous of spring - flowering greenhouse 

 plants, and on this account they are largely 

 grown. The colour of the flowers varies 

 from yellow to deep crimson through various 

 intermediate shades, while they are also 

 spotted and marked in various ways. This 

 class of Calceolaria is increased by seeds, 

 which should be sown in July or August, 

 according to the time at whicii they are 

 required to flower. The seeds are minute, 

 and special care should be taken in sowing, 

 the directions given for Tuberous Begonias 

 being applicable. They must, when large 

 enough, be pricked off, and afterwards potted 

 singly in small pots. Equal parts of loam 

 and leaf-mould with a little sand suit them 

 at this stage, but for the final potting the 

 supply of loam must be increased. A frame 

 so situated that it does not get the full rays 

 of the sun is a suitable place for the young 

 plants. They will make rapid 

 progress, and the strongest 

 may, where a succession is 

 desired, be put into their 



flowering pots before winter, 



all others being finally repotted 



in early spring. Pots 6 inches 



in diameter are a suitable 



size in which to flower these 



Calceolarias. A light, airy 



position is most essential, as 



if kept at all close and shaded 



they will make weakly growth, 



and are then never satisfactory. 



The young plants need to be 



kept clear of insect pests, of 



which aphides or greenfly are 



the worst. They are found 



chiefly on the undersides of the 



leaves and increase rapidly, so 



that the leaves curl and growth 



is arrested,, These pests may 



be readily kept under by vapor- 

 ising with one of the prepara- 

 tions of nicotine, of which 



there are several now to be 



obtained. The oldest and 



still one of the very best is 



that known as the X L All 



Vaporiser. The advantage of 



vaporising over fumigating 



(that is. burning tobacco or one of its com- 

 pounds) is that nicotine dispersed in the form 

 of steam does not injure the foliage in any 

 way, while the smoke from burning is very 

 liable to disfigure the leaves. 



Some of the shrubby Calceolarias are also 

 of considerable value for greenhouse decora- 

 tion. One of the best is Clibranii, which 

 forms a bush from 2 to 4 feet in height. 

 The branches are very loosely disposed so 

 that it forms a particularly graceful speci- 

 men. The flowers are narrow and of a 

 pleasing shade of rather light yellow ; they 

 are borne in great profusion during the spring 

 and summer months. Some cross-bred sorts 

 which are likely to prove of considerable 

 value have been obtained between C. 

 Clibranii and some members of the her- 

 baceous section, but at present they are 

 not in general cultivation. Another shrubby 

 Calceolaria is Burbidgei, which will reach a 

 height of 6 feet. It is much grown for 



Finely-grown Herbaceous Calceolarias. 



