284 PLANT CULTURE 



CUPHEA. C. ignea (platycentra) is the Firecracker Plant, 

 bearing an abundance of fiery scarlet flowers. C. Llavea, known as 

 the Red-White-and-Blue Flower, has large and handsome flowers, 

 but they are not freely produced until the plants have made 

 considerable growth. 



Propagation. C. ignea is chiefly propagated by cuttings, but 

 seeds may also be sown. 



FICUS. The common Rubber plant, F. elaslica, may be asso 

 ciated with such plants as Variegated Screw Pines, Crotons, Vari- 

 egated Panax and Dracana Sanderiana in the formation of tropical 

 groups of plants. They make very rapid progress when plunged in 

 S-inch pots shortly after being potted from 3-inch pots. AU of these 

 may be arranged where the full sun will strike them. The Ficus 

 must be examined from time to time, to prevent the roots from 

 establishing themselves outside of the pots. (For other notes on 

 Ficus see page 121.) 



GERANIUM. (See Pelargonium, page 288.) 



HELIOTROPIUM (Heliotrope). H. peruvianum is grown 

 principally on account of the sweet-scented flowers. There are dark 

 and light lilac varieties, also a few with whitish flowers. Some 

 years ago a very large flowered kind was sent out, but it had no 

 perfume, and its first season was its last. The kinds will succeed 

 best in full sun. Old plants should be wintered, planted out on a 

 bench. A minimum temperature of 40 degrees will suit. 



Propagation. From these plants abundant material for 

 propagation may be had in early Spring. 



IMPATIENS (Balsam). Two sorts, I. balsamina, Lady SUpper, 

 and /. SuUani, the Zanzibar Balsam, are grown. In former years 

 many florists depended to a great extent upon the white Camellia 

 flowered Lady Slippers for supplying material for designs during 

 Summer. The crop is sometimes disappointing, owing to a large 

 percentage of the seedlings bearing semi-double flowers. Those 

 plants with very double flowers do not set seed very freely, of 

 course, and the temptation is evidently great, in gathering a seed 

 crop, to collect the capsules from the very abundant crops on the 

 single flowered plants to the exclusion of those on the doubles and 

 semi-doubles. A few plants of the best types carefully lifted from 

 the field during dull weather and put indoors, will seed more freely 

 than when left at the mercy of wind and rain. The Zanzibar Balsam 

 is used for greenhouse decoration as well as a bedding plant; the 

 colors are distinct and bright. 



