430 



THE GABDENEK'S ASSISTANT. 



as, for instance, when used for furnishing pur- 

 poses. Liquid manure may be given. A top- 

 dressing with an artificial compound containing 

 bone-meal may be employed to give vigour 

 to pot-bound plants. Plants in full vigour will 

 take a liberal supply of water at the roots, and 

 frequent syringing overhead, which serves to 

 keep down insects. 



Insect Pests. — For mealy bug and scale hot 

 water is a good remedy, easy of application, 

 using it at such a temperature as the syringe 

 when filled can be held in the hand with toler- 

 able comfort. A small, rather long, kind of 

 scale is frequently found along the margins and 

 midribs of the leaves, clinging most tenaciously, 

 so that it can only be removed with a strong 

 insecticide such as " XL All ". Eed spider does 

 much damage if the syringe is not freely em- 

 ployed. For bad cases sulphur should be mixed 

 in the water. A mite similar to that which 

 attacks Begonias sometimes gets on to Codiseums, 

 causing the young leaves to drop when quite 

 small. Saturation with sulphur and tobacco- 

 water or soft soap will destroy this pest if care- 

 fully and frequently applied. Thrips will cause 

 trouble in a similar way and upon the older- 

 foliage too, but the syringe and fumigation will 

 make a clearance. 



Selection of Varieties. 



Broad - leaved. — Andreanum, Baron Frank Seilliere, 

 Baron James de Rothschild, Williamsii, Thompsonii, 

 Reidii, Veitchii. 



Narrow -leaved, pendulous habit. — Angustifolium, Aig- 

 burthlense, Chelsoni, Countess, Johannis, Picturatum, 

 Warrenii. 



Narrow - leaved, semi -erect habit. — Lady Zetland, 

 A-neitense, Weismannii, Mrs. Dorman, Ruberrimum. 



Foliage of medium width, habit disposed to be erect. — 

 Queen Victoria, Sunset, TJndulatum, Sunrise, Flambeau. 



Lobed-lcavcd. — Disraeli, Earl of Derby, Evansianum, 

 Mortefontanense, Illustris. 



Ttvisted - leaved. — Golden Ring, Caudatum, Tortile, 

 Spirale. 



Other Varieties. — Recurvifolium, Volutum, Van Oer- 



stedii, Hawkerii, Flamingo. r n 



[J. H.] 



Coleus. — Although popularly supposed to 

 be of hybrid origin, the numerous forms of 

 garden Coleuses are the progeny of C. Blumei 

 (fig. 532), a native of Java, where it was long 

 cultivated as a garden plant before its introduc- 

 tion into Belgium about fifty years ago. Forms 

 of it have been named C. Verschaffeltii, C. Gibsoni, 

 C. Veitchii, &c. In 1867 a batch of new seed- 

 lings, obtained, it is said, by crossing these three 

 forms, was raised at Chiswick. The plants seed 

 freely, and from these numerous forms are easily 

 raised. There are now many named varieties, 



amongst which we have all the shades of red 

 from pale-pink up to the deepest crimson, and 

 green from the faintest to dark-olive, combined 

 with yellow — these variously blended, from 

 varieties that have half their leaves yellow and 

 the other part crimson, to those that are spotted 

 and edged in the most regular manner. In the 

 conservatory they are very effective and useful 



Fig. 532.— Coleus Blumei. 



in the summer. They are quick growers, very 

 easy to increase, and are best propagated every 

 year from cuttings taken in March from a plant 

 or so of each kind, preserved through the winter 

 in a warm house with a minimum temperature 

 of 55°. Insert the cuttings in thumb-pots in 

 sandy loam, place them where they will have a 

 night temperature of 60°, and keep them moist, 

 and shaded from the sun. In a fortnight or 

 three weeks they will have rooted, when they 

 may be moved into 6-inch pots, using ordinary 

 loamy compost with a moderate quantity of 

 sand. Keep them in a sunny position near the 

 glass, and pinch out the points to induce a bushy 

 habit. They should be well syringed overhead 

 at least once a day, preferably in the afternoon. 

 In the course of a month they may be repotted 

 into larger pots according to the size to which 

 it is intended to grow the plants. For general 



