7o6 



THE BOOK OF GARDENING. 



propagate by either seeds or cuttings. Feeding may be practised 

 to advantage with nearly all when a good size and in full growth ; 

 this may be effected either by using some of the artificial 

 manures (of which Clay's Fertiliser is very good) as a top-dressing, 

 or dissolved in water, or by manure-water, obtained by placing 

 cow-dung or other manure in water. 



Abutilon. — This is a most useful genus of plants, having 

 large bell-shaped flowers beautifully veined and of various 



colours : orange, 

 white, yellow, and 

 red. Propagate 

 by cuttings taken 

 , in April, struck 

 in the warm pit, 

 and afterwards 

 grown cool, pinch- 

 ing once or twice. 

 Young plants are 

 best for pot work, 

 and should be 

 raised every year. 

 Flowers all the 

 summer. The 

 best sorts are 

 Boule- de- Neige, 

 B o u 1 e d ' O r, 

 Tancred, Golden 

 Fleece, Sanglant, 

 ' insigne (A. ig- 

 neum) (Fig. 455), 

 and Scarlet Gem. 



A G A T H A 



ccELESTis is a 

 beautiful little 

 Cape plant, having 

 blue flowers, and 

 known as the Blue 

 Marguerite, owing 

 to their resemblance to that flower. It is readily raised from 

 seed sown in March or from cuttings in June, and should be 

 grown cool during winter. Flowers all the summer. Height 6in. 



Alonsoa linifolia and A. gracilis are useful for summer 

 flowering, having bright scarlet flowers and graceful foliage. 

 Raise from seed sown in March or by cuttings struck in autumn, 

 and grow cool. Height from ift. to i^ft. 



Balsams {Iinpatiens hybrids). — These beautiful annuals, although 

 largely used for outdoor work, are really greenhouse plants. 



Fig. 455. — Abutilon insigne. 



