FLOEISTS' FLOWERS. 



251 



glide as harmlessly off from sis water from a duck's 

 tack. Besides, tliey need never he exposed to the 

 light at all, as there is no perceptible difference 

 either in substance or flavour between Mushrooms 

 grown in the dark and in the light. To the Mush- 

 room, in fact, as has already been observed, the 

 darkness and the light are both alike; Even the 

 very poor, who live alike in the blinding glare of 

 the gaiTet and the stifling gloom of the cellar, and 

 who in both mostly manage to keep some flowering 

 plants alive in some broken jar or cracked tea-pot, 

 may have some of the pleasure and profits of Mush- 

 room-growing brought within their reach. The 

 portable culture of the Mushroom will prove easy 

 to those who have done so much and so well with 

 other plants, under difEculties that seem as appalling 

 as insurmountable. 



FLOEISTS' FLOWERS. 



By Kichaed Dean. 



CALCEOLARIAS ^ND CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 



The Calceolaria.— There are three distinct 

 t}-pes of Calceolarias known to florists, viz. — the 

 Herbaceous, the Shrubby, and the Bedding. The 

 first-named of these is represented by the pretty 

 green-house varieties of the present day, so much 

 seen during the months of May, June, and July, 

 in gardens and in the flower markets. The Shrubby 

 Calceolarias have almost ceased to be grown by 

 plant cultivators ; they ai'e a section intermediate 

 between the Herbaceous and the Bedding varieties, 

 and good plants of the type can be occasionally met 

 with in the windows of cottages in country districts ; 

 the Bedding varieties are of hardj' growth, and are 

 much used in flower gardens during the summer, 

 though not so much as they formerly were. The 

 Calceolaria has the common name of Slipperwort, 

 and the generic name, Calceolaria, was bestowed by 

 Linneeus from caloeolus, a slipper, in allusion to the 

 form of the flower. 



It is recorded that in 1820 only six species of 

 the Calceolaria were known in this country, the 

 handsomest of which was C. corymbosa, the flowers 

 of which were yellow. These were probably natives 

 of Peru. During the subsequent period, up to 1830, 

 several other kinds were introduced from Chili, two 

 of which had purple flowers, viz., C. purpurea and 

 G. arachnoidea. As soOn as the plants bloomed in 

 the nursery of Messrs. Youngs, of Epsom, it struck 

 Mr. Penny, the foreman, that it would be advisable 

 to hybridise them. The attempt succeeded beyond 

 expectation, and the result was, a number of beauti- 

 ful varieties were produced and offered to the public 

 ' imder appropriate names. In 1831, C. crenatiflora, 



having yellow flowers spotted with dark, was intro- 

 duced from Chill, and from this some finely-marked- 

 varieties were raised. These productions fired others 

 with a desire to improve this fiower, and it was 

 taken in hand by several cultivators, all of whom, 

 were highly successful. Such names as Plant, Major, 

 Barnes, Green, Kinghoi-n, Gaines, Catleugh, and- 

 others occur to us ; and later in point of time, 

 Mr. James, formerly of Isleworth, did much to- 

 develop the really magnificent flowers we are ac- 

 customed to see in the present day. Concurrently 

 with the improvement of the flowers came the 

 dwarfing and rendering more compact and bushy 

 the habit of growth of the Calceolaria, as formerly 

 it was quite tall and lanky. We fear that now-a- 

 days raisers look too much to the mere size of the- 

 flowers, and too little to their form. A model plant 

 of Calceolaria should have a vigorous free -branch- 

 ing, yet compact and healthy, habit of growth ; the 

 flower-stems strong and erect ; the flowers large and- 

 globiilar, of regular outline, and clear of indentation, 

 the marking decided, and striking in colour. Such 

 a plant is seen in the illustration accompanying this- 

 article. 



Notwithstanding that the Herbaceous Calceolaria, 

 is considered by some to be difficult of cultm-e, we- 

 assert that this is a fallacy, for with due care and- 

 attention there is scarcely another florist's flower 

 more easily managed ; and it is not an unusual sight, 

 as stated above, to see this plant in a country cottage- 

 window, luxuriant in grovrth, freely flowered, and in 

 the best condition. Here are a few golden rules for 

 gro-wing the Calceolaria successfully: — Keep the 

 plants tolerably dry in -winter, well protected from 

 frost, -with as little fire-heat as possible ; and during 

 the summer months supply them liberally with 

 water. Keep them well shaded from the sun, and 

 at all stages of the growth of the plants maintain 

 the foliage fclean and entirely free from insects. 



Time was when fine -varieties of the Calceolaria- 

 were increased by offsets and cuttings taken in 

 September. Then it was much more difficult to- 

 grow a good specimen than it is in these days, when 

 dependence is placed entirely upon seedling -plants ; 

 but our forefathers used to produce splendid speci- 

 mens at flower-shows notwithstanding, raised from 

 cuttings, that were the admiration of all who saw 

 them. 



In these days the method of culture is simpler,, 

 more rapid in development, and when done -with care, 

 equally at least, if not more satisfactory. The 

 successful cultiu-e of many plants depends, to a great 

 extent, upon little attentions constantly paid them, 

 and the Calceolaria is a case in point. The seed may 

 be so-wn in May, June, and July ; and a light, rich, 

 sandv doil must be employed. If pans or pots are 



