GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY PLANTS 153 



SAINTPAULIA. 5. ionantha is a very pretty dwarf, blue- 

 flowered plant, the leaves resembling those of a Gloxinia but smaller. 

 With little trouble it may be had in bloom at almost any season. 



Culture. The plants may be flowered all the year round, or 

 given a period of rest by partly withholding water. Their culture 

 is similar to that of Gloxinia. 



Propagation. The end of March is a good time to propagate. 

 Cut off the ripened leaves with about an inch of stalk attached and 

 insert in the sand bed, covering only a small part of the leaf blade. 

 The sand should not be kept too wet. 



SANSEVIERIA (Bowstring Hemp). These plants are grown 

 mostly for their stiff, erect leaves, but their flowers are beautiful. 

 5. zeylanica is one of the few species grown, its variety, Lanrenti, 

 has leaves with white margins. 



Culture. They like a cool house, and can be used in house 

 decorations since they do not require much sunlight. They thrive 

 best in a heavy soil. 



Propagation. They may be increased by division or leaf cut- 

 tings about 3 inches long. 5. 2. Laurenti does not propagate its 

 variegation by leaf cuttings. 



SARRACENIA (Pitcher Plant). Natives of the Eastern 

 States. There are seven species and a large number of hybrids; 

 much prized in Europe owing to their curiously-shaped, and in 

 some cases highly-colored leaves. S. Drummondii, a native of 

 Florida, is the finest of all the kinds, none of the hybrids approach- 

 ing it in the gorgeous markings of the foliage. 



Culture. Sarracenias are best grown in a cool, sunny house. 

 The potting material should be the same as recommended for 

 Nepenthes. (See page 137.) 



Propagation. Sow seeds in chopped sphagnum moss. 



SKIMMIA. 5. japonica and S. Foriunei are handsome plants 

 when in fruit. We import them from Japan, but they are usually 

 unsatisfactory when they arrive in America, owing to many of the 

 berries having dropped. It should be an easy matter to have this 

 plant grown in some of the Southern States as there is nothing partic- 

 ularly difficult in its propagation and cultivation. It is one of our 

 prettiest berried plants. Those grown in the northern part of Japan 

 are the hardiest. They sometimes survive the Winters at Wash- 

 ington, D. C. The sexes are on separate plants, therefore both sexes 

 should be grown together to produce fruit. Without the bright 

 colored fruit they are not very ornamental. 



