ON GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 709 



(3) Malmaisons should be struck from side-growths in April 

 or May, and a dung hot-bed in a frame is best for this purpose. 

 Pot on and grow in the cool house to flower in March, April, 

 and May. Sorts : These are all varieties obtained from the 

 original Souvenir de la Malmaison — Nell Gwynne, Prime Minister, 

 Princess May, and Trumpeter. * 



Picotees are summer flowerers, and only differ from Show 

 Carnations in having a pure white or yellow ground to their 

 flowers, with coloured edges. They have not quite so robust an 

 appearance, but are quite as free blossoming. They require the 

 same culture as Show Carnations. 



The compost for all should be fibrous loam, sand, and broken 

 lime rubble. Carnations are very subject to a fungus, and it has 

 • been found best to grow them on the dry side as much as 

 possible during winter to prevent this. Spraying with Bordeaux 

 Mixture is also a good preventive. Directly the fungus appears 

 on any of the leaves they should be removed and burnt. 



Celosia cristata (Cockscomb) is well worth cultivating for its 

 curious heads of flower, having a very marked resemblance to 

 the comb of a cock ; hence the popular name. Raise from 

 seed sown in February or March, prick off into pans, and pot 

 on frequently to prevent them from becoming pot-bound ; use 

 a very light and rich compost, pot lightly, and grow in the 

 warm pit, to flower in July and August. Height oin. To obtain 

 very dwarf plants, from 3m. to 4m., keep growing freely for a 

 little while in the warm pit, then suddenly • check by removing 

 to the cool pit, and keep almost dry. As soon as the combs 

 appear, start growing again in the warm pit, and feed with 

 manure-water. Another plan is to cut off the tops of the young 

 plants a little below the comb as it is developing, rooting as a 

 cutting in strong bottom-heat, and afterwards potting in 4|in. or 

 6in. pots. Dwarf varieties may also be obtained from seed. 

 Colours : deep crimson, rose, gold, and white. C. fiyramidalis 

 is a very handsome plant, having long plume-like spikes of 

 various colours (culture as for C. cristata). 



Celsia cretica (3ft.) is a biennial well suited for the centre 

 bed. It has tall spikes of yellow flowers. C. Arcturus (2ft.), 

 also yellow, is a perennial, but is best treated as a biennial ; 

 it has shorter spikes and smaller flowers, being suitable for the 

 shelves of the greenhouse. Sow in April in the warm pit, grow 

 outside in the summer, and protect in a cool frame during 

 winter. Flower C. cretica in 8in. pots, and C. Arcturus in 6in. 

 pots. Flowering period, May and June. 



Chrysanthemums. — The varieties of C. sinense (Fig. 458) 

 form one of the most popular and important groups of plants 

 grown for the greenhouse. With their aid a show of blossom 

 may be had from early autumn till after Christmas — just at the 



