ON BEDDING PLANTS. 



191 



should be sown early in the spring, and the seedlings will then 

 form nice plants for transferring to the open border in June. 

 Cuttings also root freely in a cold frame. 



NicoTiANAS are treated under "Half-hardy Annuals." 



RiciNUS.— ^d^^ " Half-hardy Annuals." 



SoLANUMS. — Several of the strong-growing Solanums are 

 worthy of a place in the sub-tropical garden on account of their 

 massive foliage. The annuals are easily raised from seed sown 

 in heat during February and March ; the tuberous-rooted 

 Solanums may be increased by division of the tubers in spring, 

 just when they are starting into growth. The following are most 

 suitable for sub-tropical bedding : — -S. ma?-gi?iatu]]i^ 3ft. to 4ft. 

 high, with handsome scalloped leaves, margined with white. 

 S. robiistiim^ 3ft. to 5ft. high, with elegant foliage, covered with 

 long spines ; the leaves when young assume a rich brown tint. 

 S. Warsewiczii, a grand subject, growing 5ft. or 6ft. high ; the 

 stem is armed with strong spines, and the leaf-stalk and mid-rib 

 are covered with red prickles. 



WiGANDiAS. — These are noble plants, of bold habit, possessing 

 massive foliage. They are easily raised from seed sown in 

 February, in heat, or from cuttings of the young shoots. 

 W. inacrophylla ( caracasa7ia) grows 6ft. high, and should have 

 a warm sheltered position and good rich soil if to be seen at 

 its best. The stems are covered with short hairs. The leaves 

 grow to a tremendous size, and are very ornamental. W. ii7'e?is 

 has spreading deep green leaves, the leaf-stalks being shaded 

 with red ; it is of looser habit than fuacrophylla^ and possesses 

 stinging properties. W. Vigieri (Fig. 94) is also grown. 



Carpet Bedding. 



This style of summer bedding is not nearly so much 

 practised as it was formerly ; this is no doubt due to 

 the fact that it was overdone, bed after bed being filled 

 with the same dwarf plants, until at last the eye grew weary 

 and longed for a change. Another reason is no doubt the 

 expensiveness of the system, for even a small plot of ground 

 requires an immense number of plants to produce the desired 

 •effect, whilst the labour entailed in preparing and planting is 

 enormous. Carpet bedding, as practised years ago, consisted 

 of the planting of beds in geometrical form with various dwarf 

 coloured-foliaged plants, the object being to imitate fancy designs, 

 such as were found on Turkey carpets, &c., and to work them 

 out in different colours. The dwarf plants so used needed 

 constant attention with regard to pinching and keeping them 

 within their allotted space, or the design would quickly be 



