34 



THE FLOWER GROWER'S GUIDE. 



a noble plant, with dark green leaves, supported on petioles 3 to 6 feet long, and pro- 

 duces nearly pure white flowers in March. S. Nicolai much resembles it; but S. 

 Kegina), flowering rather later, is distinct and the most beautiful of all. The leaves are 

 large and imposing in appearance ; and the flowers, orange and purple in colour, freely 

 produced, are borne on scapes nearly as tall as the leaves. Plants can be raised by sow- 

 ing seeds in spring, when procurable, in a mixture of loam, peat, leaf-soil and sand, in a 

 temperature of 65° to 75° ; also by offsets or division of the old plants in February or 

 March. The plants succeed in well-drained pots or beds, in a compost of two parts 

 of loam and one of peat, with abundance of sand. A sunny position is desirable, and 

 water must be supplied in large quantities from April to September, gradually reducing 

 the amount, and keeping the roots dry during the winter. 



TABERNiEMON'TANA. — A moderately large genus of stove evergreen flowering 

 shrubs, of which two or three species only are considered worthy of general cultivation. 

 T. Barteri, "Western Tropical Africa, attains a height of 4 to 6 feet, and produces white 

 flowers in summer. T. coronaria, East Indies, grows 4 feet high, branching freely • 

 flowers white, sweet-scented, and abundant in the summer. It is not often met with, 

 but the double-flowering form, T. c. flore pleno, is very popular. Propagation is 

 effected by cuttings of firm shoots, inserted singly in small pots filled with sand, which 

 must be kept moist, in a propagating frame, and a temperature of 65° to 75°, in 

 February. When well rooted, establish the young plants in 5-inch pots, and grow 

 them in a light position, not crowded among other kinds of plants. Winter them 

 in a temperature of 65° to 70°, and keep the soil moist. The flowers will expand during 

 the following spring in rather strong heat, accompanied by plenty of moisture in the 

 atmosphere. Those plants requiring more root room should have a shift in March or 

 April, using a compost of two parts of loam and one of peat, with a little sand. What 

 little pruning may be necessary for the regulation of the growth should be done after 

 flowering is over. T. cymosa flore pleno (Fig. 14) is handsome, and produces its white 

 flowers very freely. 



thunbergia. — In this genus of twining dwarf annual or perennial herbs, are 

 comprised a few species that well repay for good culture. T. alata, South Africa, is an 

 annual, twining in habit, freely producing attractive yellow and purple flowers in the 

 summer. Alba is a pure white, and aurantiaca a rich yellow variety. T. fragrans is 

 a perennial climber, with white, sweet-scented flowers. T. laurifolia (syn. T. Harrisi), 

 India, closely resembles T. grandiflora, a moderately strong-growing climbing species, 



