CHAPTER XVII 



THE MAHERNIA, BROWALLIA, PYRETHRUM, IMPA- 

 TIENS, SULTANI AND LANTANA 



The Mahernia 



The Mahernia — Mahernia odorata of the catalogs, 

 and popularly known as Honey Bell — is a most charm- 

 ing little plant for growing on a bracket where its 

 slender branches can be allowed to droop over the pot 

 and dispose of themselves in their own graceful 

 fashion. It has fine and delicate foliage, which gives it 

 an attractive appearance when there are no flowers on 

 the plant. Its flowers are small, light yellow in color, 

 and shaped like a bell. They are deliciously fragrant. 

 A few of them will fill a room with pleasant odor at 

 night. It is not a showy plant, but it does not follow 

 that it is lacking in beauty, or is not desirable. It 

 likes a light, rich soil, kept moderately moist, with 

 water on its foliage daily. It flourishes in a somewhat 

 shady window. 



Browallia 



A comparatively new flower, evolved from one 

 that enjoyed considerable popularity years ago. The 

 new form, however, is much superior to the old one, 

 being larger, more floriferous, and richer in color. It 

 is a deep, ultramarine blue — the only flower of that 

 color among our winter blooming plants, so far as my 

 knowledge goes. Small plants, from summer seed- 

 lings, will be almost completely covered with flowers 

 during the entire winter. Because of its shape it is 

 sometimes called the Giant Violet. It is not even 



