BEDDING, VASE AND WINDOW BOX PLANTS 287 



Propagation. Sow the seed in a cool greenhouse in the Au- 

 tumn, or in a warm house early in Spring. Each plant will ripen an 

 immense quantity of seed. 



LANTANA. Low growing greenhouse shrubs with yellow, 

 white, red and purple flowers in small, close heads. L. camara and 

 L. Sellowiana (delicatissima) are principally grown. The latter sort 

 has lilacy rose flowers and is trailing in habit. They are perfectly 

 at home in the open border, growing most luxuriantly in heavy, 

 weU manured soil. The leaves and flowers have an undesirable 

 odor, which is against their ever becoming very popular. A mini- 

 mum temperature of 50 degrees will suit all of the kinds. 



Propagation. Take cuttings early, and from plants thus 

 raised they may be further propagated during February. 



MUSA (Bananas). The ordinary fruiting Bananas for sub- 

 tropical bedding will do well in almost any part of the country. 

 The hardiest species of the genus, and one splendidly adapted to 

 our Summers, is known as the Abyssinian Banana, M. Enseie. 

 M. superba is a species somewhat resembling M. Ensete and is of 

 slower growth. The foliage is slightly covered with a farinaceous 

 looking substance. In Winter the leaves die down, the bases of 

 which form a resting bulblike formation. It should be started into 

 growth before planting out. If there is difficulty in disposing of 

 them, which is not likely to be the case, as in every community 

 there are some people who like things which are uncommon, then 

 use them for the decoration of the home grounds with such plants 

 as Cannas, Eulalias and dark leaved Ricinus. This combination 

 will make a display that will be hard to equal. 



Culture. In one season from seed, they will, under favorable 

 conditions, grow 6 feet high, and if lifted, kept over Winter and 

 planted the second season, they will develop into very large speci- 

 mens. They delight in rich soil. There are few things easier to keep 

 over Winter. On the approach of frost the leaves should be short- 

 ened back by two-thirds of their length, the plants lifted, roots 

 shortened back considerably, and stowed as thickly together as 

 they will go in a box and placed in some out of the way corner 

 where frost will not get at them. They will pull through the Win- 

 ter safely, in a pretty low temperature. When planting out time 

 comes they are rather uncanny looking objects for the center of a 

 bed; but they are not long in developing a crop of leaves. 



Propagation. With a plant or two to start with, no trouble 

 need be experienced in getting up a stock, as many sorts sucker 



