ON BEDDING PLANTS. 193 



Alternantheras. — These are amongst the most useful of 

 plants we possess for bedding purposes ; they grow from 2in. to 

 3m. high, and are largely used for filling in panels, divisional lines, 

 &c. Alternantheras are all grown for their foliage, which varies in 

 colour from bright yellow to dark purple. A few old plants are 

 taken up and placed in pans or boxes in the autumn, or cuttings 

 are struck at the same time to form stock plants for standing 

 the winter. These are kept on the shelf in a warm house until 

 about March, when they are planted in a hot-bed ; in this 

 situation they soon form . an abundance of cuttings, which 

 will root freely if dibbled in hot-beds about an inch apart, close 

 to the glass, and kept shaded. In the course of a week or so, 

 the shading should be discontinued, and air gradually given them 

 until they are finally hardened off and planted out. Several 

 species and varieties are grown : A. amabilis has broad foliage of 

 deep orange and scarlet. A. amcena has orange and purple 

 foliage, shaded with dark green and bronze ; it is of spreading 

 habit. A. versicolor has crimson and rose-coloured foliage. A. 

 ■baronychioides has orange-red foliage, shaded with green. The 

 following are considered to be mere varieties of the latter 

 species : A. aurea nana, a very dwarf free-growing variety, with 

 golden-yellow foliage; A. magnifica, with red foliage; A. major, with 

 bronze foliage, tipped with scarlet ; A. m. aurea, with large bright 

 golden-yellow foliage ; A. rosea nana, with deep pink or rose- 

 coloured foliage, presenting a charming contrast to A. aurea nana. 



Antennaria tomentosa, or A. Candida, is a dwarf, silvery- 

 leaved plant, growing from 2in. to 3m. high. It is largely used 

 for edgings or divisional lines, and is readily propagated by 

 division of the roots or by seeds sown in spring. 



Calocephalus (Leucophyton or Leucophyta) Brownii, has 

 silvery-white foliage, and is propagated by cuttings ' in spring. It 

 grows from 2in. to 4m. high, and is used for filling in panels, &c. 



Centaurea ragusina compacta grows about oin. high. It is 

 a silvery-leaved plant, neater in appearance than the type, and 

 useful for "ribbon-bedding," a style which consists of filling a 

 border the whole length with rows of plants, each row being of 

 a different shade of colour, so that the border, especially when 

 viewed from a distance, presents the appearance of a ribbon. It 

 is also used as a dot plant. 



Cerastium tomentosum is used for edgings, for filling in 

 panels, &c. On account of its silvery-white foliage, it goes under 

 the name of " Snow-in-Summer." It is easily propagated by 

 cuttings or division, and grows 6in. high. 



ChaM/Epeuce Casabon^e and diacantha are largely used as 

 dot plants in connection with carpet bedding, as well as for 

 sub-tropical work. They are thistle-like plants, and may be raised 

 from seed sown in February. C. Casabona has deep green leaves, 



