434 FRITZ BAHR'S COMMERCIAL FLORICULTURE 



Fig. 209. — Feverfew Outdoors. Showing how 



bright and attractive a cliunp can be, either 



alone or with flowers of contrasting colors 



April. 



MEADOW RUE 



See Thalidrum 



MERTENSIA 



VIRGINICA 



(BLUE BELLS) 



The Virginia Blue 

 Bells are fine for planting 

 along the margin of a 

 ravine, for edging a shady 

 shrubbery border, or for 

 naturalizing. Their foKage 

 dies down diu-ing Summer, 

 and in cultivated beds or 

 borders this should be 

 provided for. 



They have flower 

 spikes about a foot in 

 height, which usually are 

 full of clusters of blue 

 flowers toward the end of 

 That is the reason your patrons will want them. Get a 

 good sized batch started and it will furnish you with plenty of stock, 

 as the plants are increased by division of the roots in Fall. 



MESEMBRYANTHEMUM CORDIFOLIUM ROSEUM 



That seems an awfully long name for such a little plant even 

 though it is most useful during the bedding season. It has dark 

 green, fleshy leaves with star-shaped, glistening pink flowers, re- 

 minding one of a miniature Cactus blossom. Almost everyone who 

 comes to your establishment will admire it and weU-fiUed hanging 

 baskets with the plants drooping over the sides will always find 

 purchasers. The plants can also be used in the rockery to good 

 effect. Carry a few stock plants in pots over Winter in a cool house; 

 these will furnish you with quantities of cuttings which root easily. 



METROSIDEROS ROBUSTA (BOTTLE BRUSH) 



The Metrosideros are among the showiest of Easter plants. 

 With their fine foliage and spikes of small, reddish flowers they 

 always attract attention among other stock in the show house. 

 We used to import them from Europe, but I doubt whether there 

 was ever any real dollars and cents profit for the smaller florist in 

 handUng them. However, with them as with a number of other 

 plants, they pay us well in the show they make, thereby helping to 

 sell other stock. It would take too long to raise plants from cuttings, 

 but if you can get hold of some bushy 6- or 7-in. pot specimens 



