BEDDING PLANTS FROM SEED 63 



dens, is the vinca, or Madagascar perriwinkle. They 

 make neat, erect plants from twelve to fifteen inches 

 in height; the foliage is dark green, glossy and en- 

 tirely free from insect pests. The flowers, five petaled 

 and star shaped, are produced in the greatest profu- 

 sion from August until frost, and if lifted and potted 

 will continue to bloom indoors all winter. There are 

 three varieties, a rosy crimson with dark eye, white 

 with crimson eye and pure white, all equally good. 

 The seed requires heat to germinate, so should be 

 sown in the hotbed or flats and given the same gen- 

 eral treatment as other bedding plants. 



The ricinus is too well known to require special 

 instructions for its culture, but best results are secured 

 by planting the seed in pots and transferring the 

 plants to the open ground when the soil and nights 

 are warm. "When disturbed in transplanting they 

 are sometimes very slow in taking a start, but grow 

 vigorously when once under way, and it is rarely that 

 a plant is lost. The zanzabariensis variety is the fin- 

 est for general culture, but where a high screen is de- 

 sired, rather than a fine foliage effect, some of the 

 taller sorts may be employed. 



Some of the vines usually purchased of the florists 

 for vases, window boxes, trellises and the like are as 

 easily grown from seed as any of the common garden 

 annuals. Cobaea scandens is a ease in point; 'all that 

 is necessary being to start in hotbed or flat, setting 



