THE BOOK OF GARDENING. 



with gold. I. Lindeiii is an excellent species, and largely grown 

 for bedding purposes; it has deep blood-red leaves, with purplish 

 mid-ribs; the leaves are more pointed than those of Herbstii. 

 It forms a fine edging plant to beds of Pelargoniums, &c. 



Lantanas. — The named varieties of Lantana, with their 

 large Verbena-like heads of richly-coloured flowers, produced 

 abundantly during the whole summer, are charming subjects for 

 flower-beds. They are as easy to cultivate as Pelargoniums, 

 and may be used either in beds by themselves, or as carpeting 

 plants for tall-growing Fuchsias, &c., or they may be trained as 

 standards. Propagation is effected by means of cuttings, treated 

 like those of the Iresine. Drap d'Or is unequalled for bedding; 

 it is of dwarf compact habit, and very floriferous, producing 

 numerous heads of bright yellow flowers. Don Calmet is also 

 very floriferous, bearing an abundance of clear lilac flowers with 

 red centres; it grows about ift. high. 



Lobelias. — The predominating colour amongst the dwarf- 

 growing Lobelias is blue, a colour which is rather rare 



amongst the or- 

 dinary run of 

 bedding plants. 

 To this, and to 

 their dwarf com- 

 pact habit may 

 be attributed the 

 reason of their 

 universal adop- 

 tion for bedding 

 purposes, and 

 especially as 

 edgings to beds 

 of taller sub- 

 jects. They are 

 increased by 



readily 



ther seeds or cuttings. 

 Seeds may be sow^n in 

 February or March in 

 pans of light sandy soil 

 (covered but slightly, as 

 they are very minute) and stood 

 in a warm house. They should 

 afterwards be pricked off into 

 boxes and kept under glass 

 until nearly bedding time, \vhen 

 they should be hardened off. 

 They may also be sown thinly in rows, in a frame close to 

 the glass, and transferred direct to their flowering quarters 



Fig. 87. — Lobelia Erinus. 



