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THE BOOK OF GARDENING. 



and lilac flowers. B. venusta is a vigorous-growing species from 

 the same country, with gorgeous orange-red ' flowers, produced in 

 large loose bunches at the extremities of the shoots in succession 

 from. October to February. 



Bougainvillea. — These South American climbing shrubs, by 

 reason of their pretty reticulated rose-tinted bracts, which are 

 produced in threes, almost concealing the tubular inconspicuous 

 yellow corollas, are very ornamental. The panicled masses of 

 inflorescence are of an unusual and most attractive character. 

 All the sorts succeed best when planted in a well-drained border 

 of turfy loam, peat, and sand, with the branches trained up the 



Fig. 447. — Bougainvillea spectabilis. 



rafters near the glass, where .they can enjoy an abundance of 

 sunlight. Very little shading is required, or they run too much 

 to foliage-. During the growing season water freely, but gradually 

 withhold the supply in the autumn, and keep nearly dry all the 

 winter. In February, before the plants start into fresh growth, 

 the branches should be spurred back as Grape vines are pruned, 

 and if they break too thickly when the young shoots grow, 

 disbudding should be resorted to, so as to avoid overcrowding 

 of branches. Some growers adopt a different system with 

 B. spectabilis (Fig. 447); that is, they cut some of the branches, 

 clean out and lay in the others, after cutting off the extremities, 



