76 FLORA DOMESTICA. 



CARDINAL-FLOWER. 



LOBELIA. 



LOBELIACE^E. SYNGENESIA MONOGAMIA. 



Named from Matthias de Lobel, a Flemish botanist, physician and 

 botanist to King James the First. French, la cardinale. Italian, fior 

 cardinale; cardinalizia. 



THE Cardinal-flower is a very handsome plant, the 

 scarlet species in particular: the blue, however, is very 

 handsome. They do not flower the first year : yet, as the 

 offsets produced from the roots do not flower so strongly 

 as seedling plants, it is better to sow them. This should 

 be done in the autumn. They may at first be sown several 

 together : the pots in which they are sown should stand 

 abroad in mild weather, but under cover in frost or heavy 

 rain. In spring the plants will appear. They may then 

 remain abroad altogether, and must be kept always rather 

 moist. When big enough to remove, they may be re- 

 planted separately into small pots ; or, if preferred, may 

 be so sown at first. They should be placecj where fhey 

 may enjoy the morning sun, and there remain till autumn: 

 they must then be taken into the house, but stand near an 

 pen window in mild weather. If in the course of the 

 summer the roots should fill the pots, the plants must be 

 removed into larger ones. The following spring they must 

 be potted in fresh earth, and again placed abroad. They 

 will flower in August ; and, if not exposed to the mid-day 

 sun, will continue long in beauty. The roots will last two 

 or three years. They are likewise increased by their off- 

 sets, and by cuttings of the stalks, like rockets ; but no 

 other way is so good as sowing them. 



