528 



THE GAEDENEE'S ASSISTANT. 



a mild temperature. If space permits, a few 

 Camellias would be valuable for the production 

 of early blooms; Acacia dealbata is also worthy 

 of a place for its elegant foliage, and A, armata 

 for its floriferousness. A place should be given 

 to Pittosporum Tobira, P. lucidum, P. undulatum, 

 and Clethra arborea, all of which have delight- 

 fully-scented flowers. Datura smveolens is also 

 a most fragrant plant, which would be worthy 

 of a place in such an arrangement. 



To afford relief and break the formality of 

 the architectural lines, climbing plants are most 



mber-screeued Pillar in a Conservatory. 



serviceable. They may be trained to the pillars 

 or dependent from the roof, or be suspended in 

 baskets. Foremost amongst them stands the 

 lovely Lapageria rosea and its white variety. 

 Tacsonia Van Volxemii is of rapid growth, and 

 produces a profusion of rich crimson blooms. 

 T. ignea, T. exoniensis, and T. insignis, Passiflora 

 Bellottii, P. ccerulea, P. Imperatrice Eugenie, are 

 all free-growing, and showy. Trachelospermum 

 (Rhynchospermum) jasminoides is a good plant 

 for a pillar; Jasminum grandiflorum is one of 

 the sweetest and most desirable climbers for 

 clothing a wall or pillar. Acacia dealbata, 

 A. Riceana, Bignonia Cher ere, Clematis indwisa, 

 Lonicera semperflorens, Mandevilla suaveolens, 

 Habrothamnus elegans, Hoija carnosa, Plumbago 



capensis — most suited for a pillar, Tropseolums, 

 and various other plants, might be named as 

 applicable for roof-adornment. It would be 

 objectionable to plant coarse-growing things to 

 obstruct the light, and weaken the growth of 

 the plants underneath. Neither should a pre- 

 ponderance ot deciduous plants be used. 



Suspended wire-baskets are admirably adapted 

 for the display of many plants such as Achimeties, 

 Pelargoniums, Begonias, Tropseolums, Fuchsias, 

 Asparagus, &c. In winter nothing is more 

 effective than the varieties of Epiphyllum trun- 

 cation. Tradescantias may also be used. Also 

 Ferns, such as, for example, the Davallias 

 with creeping rhizomes, Lygodium, Nephrolepis, 

 Acrostichum, Adiantum, Aspleniumflabellifolium, 

 and A. longissimum. Some of the Selaginellas 

 do well as basket -plants, especially S. cassia 

 and S. Wildenovii. Plants grown in baskets 

 thus suspended require an abundant supply of 

 water, or they soon become seared and shabby. 



CHAPTEE XXIX. 



LIST OF GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 



Abutilon. — A shrubby genus of the Mallow family 

 with pendulous, bell-shaped flowers. They are of easy 

 culture, flowering freely when grown in pots or planted 

 out and trained to pillars or rafters, or grown as bushes. 

 Cuttings. Loam and peat. 



A. Darwini has large palmatifld leaves and orange-red flowers 

 with dark veins. Brazil. There are numerous garden hybrids, 

 of which Buttle de Neige, white; Boule d'Or, yellow; Eclipse and 

 Fire Fly, red; Golden Fleece, yellow; and King of the Roses, rose, 

 are among the best. 



A. megapotamicum variegatum has small leaves, mottled green 

 and yellow, and red and yellow flowers 2 inches long. 



A. vitifolium has handsome leaves five- to seven-lobed, and 

 blue flowers. Chili. 



Acacia. — A large useful genus of Leguminosae. About 

 four hundred species are known, many of them Australian 

 and known as Wattles. Some form bushes a foot or so 

 high, others are large trees. The phyllodes or false leaves 

 vary from mere spines to leaf -like structures 6 or 8 inches 

 long by 2 inches wide. The flowers are in small fluffy 

 balls, in racemes or panicles* Peat and loam. They flower 

 from Christmas onwards. After flowering they must be 

 well pruned. Some species are useful for clothing pillars. 



A. armata. Small spiny leaves, fragrant flowers; forces well. 

 Var. august i [folia is a variety with longer, narrower leaves. 



A. Bailegana. Glaucous, pinnate leaves, deep-yellow flowers. 



A. cultriformis. Knife-shaped glaucous leaves; a pretty pot 

 plant. 



A. dealbata (Silver Wattle, Mimosa) Large tree, glaucous, 

 bipinnate leaves, yellow flowers in large, branching racemes. 

 Grown largely in France for market. 



A. Drummondi. Bush; pinnate leaves, lemon-coloured flowers. 



A hastulata. Small spiny leaves, pale-yellow flowers, crowded 

 on scandent shoots a yard long. 



A. leprosa. Scandent, suitable for pillars; very free. 



A. longifolia. Strong bush, upright racemes; very free. 



A. myrtifolia. Short leaves, flowers in short racemes, pale- 

 yellow. 



