660 THE BOOK OF GARDENING. 



seed, which, being extremely small, should be sown as described 

 for Begqnias. If sown, in March the plants will produce a 

 profusion of pretty dark blue flowers, something like large 

 Violets, in August, and these cannot fail to please. 



Scutellaria Mociniana, from Mexico, is a useful scarlet 

 winter-flowering plant, readily increased by cuttings, and easily 

 grown in equal parts of loam and leaf-mould with a little sand. 

 It should have a place near the glass in a cool part ,of the stove. 



Sericographis (Jacobinia) Ghiesbreghtiana.— This handsome 

 Mexican plant has smooth, light green, oval-pointed leaves, 

 and scarlet flowers in terminal panicles. It is an easily-grown 

 and a handsome winter-flowering subject. Cuttings should 

 be struck in the spring, and the plants may be grown on in a 

 warm pit or frame during the summer in a compost of loam, 

 leaf-mould, and silver-sand. The points of the shoots should 

 be pinched out to make them branch and form nice shaped 

 specimens. Transfer the plants to the stove in the autumn for 

 winter flowering. 



Strelitzia. : — A genus of herbaceous plants from the Cape of 

 Good Hope, with gorgeous flowers. They are propagated from 

 seed, but more generally by division, and thrive in a compost 

 of four parts fibrous loam, two parts peat, and one part each of 

 well-decayed manure and coarse silver - sand, with efficient 

 drainage. Copious supplies of water are necessary during growth. 

 ,S. Regina is probably the best known and greatest favourite, 

 producing magnificent orange and purple flowers ; but there are 

 »?. augusta, white and purple ; S. Nicolai, white and blue ; and 

 others. 



Tabern^emontana coronaria and T. c. florepleno are evergreen 

 shrubs from India, with sweet-scented white flowers. They may 

 be propagated and treated like Gardenias, which they somewhat 

 resemble. 



Thyrsacanthus rtjtilans. — A stove evergreen flowering shrub 

 from Columbia. Propagate from cuttings of young shoots, and 

 grow in equal parts peat, loam, leaf-mould, and sand. Tie the 

 central stem to a neat stake, and remove Scale should they 

 appear. The graceful thyrses of drooping, long, tubular scarlet 

 flowers are very attractive and ornamental. 



Tillandsia Lindeni is an epiphyte from the forests of Tropical 

 South America. It, however, succeeds well in pots in a 

 compost of two-thirds fibrous peat, one-third sphagnum, and a 

 sprinkling of silver-sand and potsherds the size of peas. It may 

 be propagated by suckers taken off in the spring, and be grown in 

 a moist part of the stove during the summer ; but a slightly drier 

 atmosphere is advisable during the winter. Be careful not to 

 allow water to settle at the base of the leaves, as that often causes 

 this species to rot. The leaves are arranged in a rosulate 



