ON BEDDING PLANTS. 



179 



As they are liable to sport from seed, the best way to perpetuate 

 and preserve any special variety is by means of cuttings : these 

 may either be inserted in autumn, or a few old plants may be 

 taken up, potted, and kept in a frame during the winter. Early 

 in the spring remove them into a warm, moist atmosphere, where 

 they will soon make an abundance of cuttings ; these may be 

 taken off, placed in a warm propagating-frame, and when rooted 

 pricked out into boxes and hardened off before bedding-out 

 time. In this way any amount of plants of uniform habit may 

 be obtained. The taller-growing 

 species may also be increased 

 readily by means of seeds, cut- 

 tings, or divisions of the old plants 

 in spring. Lobelia Erinus (Fig. 

 87) is the species from which 

 most of our dwarf beddmg varie- 

 ties have sprung. The typical 

 plant has blue flowers, with a 

 white or yellowish throat : it 

 grows only 6in. high. Z. speciosa 

 is an old favourite, of free, grace- 

 ful habit, suitable for trailing over 

 vases ; it has dark bronze foliage. 

 L. compacta is of neat and com- 

 pact habit, suitable for edgings, 

 &c. ; there is also a white-flowered 

 variety, and one with golden 

 foliage. Z. pumila magnifica is 

 an excellent bedder, with bright 

 blue flowers : it 2;rows 

 high. Z. ramosa is 



a taller- 

 form, reaching; a hei2:ht 

 of gin. : it has deep purple-blue 

 flowers. There are also numerous 

 good named varieties, of which 

 Cobalt Blue, Swanley Blue, Crystal 

 Palace, and Emperor William, are 



^ species, Z. cardijialis 

 foliage, and numerous 

 flowers, is one of the finest : it grows from 



only 3in. 



growmg 



Fig. 88. — Lobelia cardixalis. 



taller-growing 

 corrugated 



amongst 

 (Fig. 

 spikes 



the best. Of the 

 88), with rough 

 of crimson-scarlet 

 iKt. to 2ft. high. 



Z. fulgens or Z. splende?is is also excellent 

 which are rather longer, narrower, and more downy 

 those of Z. ca?'di?iaHs, and beautiful scarlet flowers, 

 form Queen Victoria has deep mulberry-coloured foliage, 

 intense vermilion-scarlet flowers : it attains a height of 

 2^ft. to 3ft. Firefly also has bright scarlet flowers, 

 sometimes reaches a height of 5ft. The rich and 

 coloured flowers and foliage of these tall perennial 



it has reddish leaves, 



than 

 The 

 and 

 from 

 and 

 brilliant- 

 Lobelias 



N 2 



