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PRACTICAL GUIDE TO GABDEN PLANTS nicotiana 



ornamental plants for the flower garden 

 during the summer months. They grow 

 very quickly from seeds sown in gentle 

 heat about February or March. When 

 large enough, the seedhngs are pricked 

 off into shallow boxes or singly in pots 

 and grown on in a genial temperature — 

 about 60°-65° Pahr., gradually giving 

 plenty of air, and a somewhat cooler 

 temperature from the beginning of May, 

 so as to harden the plants by the begin- 

 ning of June, when they can be trans- 

 ferred to the outdoor garden at distances 

 varying from 2 to 3 ft. During hot, dry 

 summers they must be copiously watered, 

 and a mulching of weU-decomposed cow- 

 manure or occasional waterings with 

 liquid manure will induce the plants to 

 attain luxviriant proportions and abun- 

 dance of blossom. The following are a few 

 of the most suitable garden kinds : — 



N. acutiflora. — An ornamental Bra- 

 zilian species 1-2 ft. high, vrith oblong 

 elliptic leaves, the upper ones lobed at 

 the base. Flowers from June to October, 

 2-3 in. across, pure white, with a slender 

 cylindrical tube 4-5 in. long. 



Culture dc. as above. Raised from 

 seeds in spring. 



N. afSnis. — A somewhat glaucous 

 hairy species 2-3 ft. high, native of 

 tropical America, with bluntly ovate 

 leaves about 6 in. long, narrowed into a 

 winged stalk ; the upper ones smaller, 

 broad, and stem-clasping. Flowers in 

 summer, 3 in. across, whitish inside, 

 greenish outside, and having a slender 

 hairy tube 3-4 in. long. The flowers 

 usually open towards evening, remaining 

 open all night and emitting a delicious 

 odour. 



This -is the favourite Tobacco Plant for 

 flower gardens, and it is used in a variety 

 of ways according to taste, in masses by 

 itself, in borders, by woodland walks, in 

 conjunction with dwarfer plants lUie Violas 

 and Heliotropes &c. 



Culture and Propagation. — Although 

 treated as an annual N. affinia is reaUy a 

 perennial, and in autumn it may be taken 

 up and potted, and kept in the conserva- 

 tory or greenhouse until spring. As it is 

 so easily produced from seeds, however, 

 it is scarcely worth while to trouble so 

 much about it. 



N. glauca. — A beautiful glaucous 

 biennial shrub 10-20 ft. high, native 

 of Buenos Ayres. Leaves long-stalked, 



unequally heart-shaped, ovate, smooth, 

 glaucous. Flowers from August to October, 

 yellow, covered with a soft down, and 

 having a cylindrical tube 1 in. or more 

 long; the limb small cup-shaped with 

 short acute segments. 



Culture and, Propagation. — This fine 

 species produces a grand effect owing to 

 its great size, its elegant foliage, and its 

 numerous flexible branches weighed down 

 at the tips by the long panicles of flowers. 

 Owing to its rapid growth it may be used 

 in masses to hide unsightly parts of the 

 garden, but it is also valuable in groups 

 on lawns &c. and for sub-tropical effects. 

 It may be raised from seeds in early 

 spring, and in the autumn the plants may 

 be lifted and transferred to the greenhouse 

 for shelter until the following spring. It 

 may also be increased by inserting cuttings 

 in July and August in sandy soil in a 

 cold shaded frame, the yoimg plants thus 

 obtained being wintered in a greenhouse. 

 Plants from cuttings and the old shoots 

 possess the advantage of attaining larger 

 dimensions and earlier and more numer- 

 ous flowers than those raised from seeds 

 the same year. 



N. longiflora (N. angustifolia). — A 

 Chilian species 2-3 ft. high, with lower 

 leaves ovate-lance-shaped, acute, upper 

 ones heart-shaped, lanceolate, taper- 

 pointed. Flowers in August 1^2 in. 

 across, changing from white at first to 

 purple or yellowish-green, produced singly 

 at the sides of the stems, or in simple 

 racemes at the ends of the branches. 



Culture d'c. as above. This species is 

 suitable for borders or beds, and the 

 plants should not be nearer to each other 

 than 1^2 ft. 



N. macrophylla {N. gigantea; N. latis- 

 sima). — A native of tropical America, 

 nearly related to N. Tabacum, from which 

 it differs chiefly in its stronger growth, in 

 its larger and broader, oval, staUdess or 

 stalked leaves, and in its larger pale 

 red flowers with less obtuse or slightly 

 mucronate lobes. It flowers at the same 

 period and maybe cultivated and increased 

 in the same way. There are forms of 

 this species differing considerably from the 

 type, one particularly, gigantea, being 

 much more vigorous and attaining a 

 height of 6-8 ft. with larger leaves and 

 flowers, the latter being a rosy-purple or 

 rosy-carmine. 



Culture d-c. as above. 



