ON ANNUALS AND BIENNIALS. 



prized in bouquets for winter 



in shades varying from white to purple. They are borne three 

 or four together. Mixed seed is now offered by our seedsmen, 

 producing plants with various coloured flowers. 



Rhodanthe Manglesii is a charming everlasting annual, ex- 

 cellent either for beds or for pots in the conservatory ; the 

 dried flowers are also much 

 decoration. It grows about 

 ift., and produces its bright 

 rose - coloured flowers in 

 June. 



Ricinus communis (Castor- 

 oil Plant) and its varieties are 

 remarkable for their large and 

 23icturesque foliage, which makes 

 them excellent subjects for sub- 

 tropical gardening. The seed 

 should be sown singly in small 

 pots in March, and placed in 

 heat. As the seedlings fill the 

 pots with roots, they should be 

 potted on and kept growing 

 freely, finally hardening off, and 

 planting out in June. They 

 reach a height of from 3ft. to 

 5ft., and produce their greenish 

 flowers in July. Gibsoni has 

 bronzy-purplish leaves. Zanzi- 

 bar iensis is a noble plant, 6ft. 

 to 8ft. high, having handsome 

 light green leaves, 2ft. across, 

 with whitish ribs. Its variety 

 enormis has large brown purple 

 foliage, changing to dark green 

 or red when older. 



Salpiglossis sinuata (or 

 variabilis) (Fig. 141) is a splen- 

 did annual, 2ft. high, flowering 

 in August. The flowers are 

 somewhat after the fashion of 

 the Petunia, and are curiously 

 pencilled. There are now 

 numerous varieties varying in 

 the colour of their flowers from 



white to purple. All are of great beauty, and in beds and 

 borders their brilliant flowers at once attract the eye ; as pot- 

 plants they are excellent, whilst the cut flowers are highly prized 

 for vases and bouquets. 



Fig. 141. — Salpiglossis sinuata. 



