THE GREENHOUSE AND ITS FLOWERS. 



241 



head of bloom. 

 T o o b t ai n 

 these, the very 

 stoutest shouK, 

 stii h as would 

 be sure 1 ( ) 

 flower if left 

 mi the plant, 

 are chosen for 

 cuttings. They 

 all strike root 

 v e r y readily. 

 The natural 

 colour of die 

 Hydrangea is 

 pink, but in 

 some soils die 

 bios s o 111 s 

 change to blue, 

 and die same 

 end may be 

 artificially 

 attained by 

 watering the 

 plants with a 

 weak solution 

 of alum water. 

 Besides the 

 ordinary kind 

 there is stellata 

 prolifera, in 

 w h i c h t h e 

 sterile blooms 

 are double ; 

 variegata, with 

 v a r i e g a t e d 

 leaves ; and 1 1 . 

 p a n i c 11 1 a t a 

 gran di f 1 or a , 

 w i t h li u g e 

 p y r a 111 i d a 1 - 

 shaped heads of 

 cream-coloured 



var i e t y f 1 or i- 

 bunda, which 

 is of dwarfer 

 habit, will 

 bloom freely as 

 a neat bush. ]t 

 may he planted 

 o til in the 

 1 » irder. 

 Libonia flori- 

 b u nda.-A 



e n s e 



HYPR-IKCF 



flowers. This last is hard v, but is also much used for 

 greenhouse decoration. 



ImpatienS. — This is a large family, including stove and 

 hardy as well as greenhouse kinds. Of these latter, the 

 most generally cultivated is the Balsam (I. Balsamina), of 

 which there are various coloured forms, with both single 

 and double flowers. To ensure good plants the seed 

 should he sown in the spring, in heat, and the young 

 plants grown on freely in light rich soil. I. Sultani is a 



rather upright-growing, soft-w led plant that can be 



propagated from cuttings. It w ill flower nearly through- 

 out the year, the flowers being of a light scarlet tint. 

 There is also a variety with salmon and another with 

 carmine blossoms. 



LagerStroemia indiea is a tree-like shrub, w hich, if kept 

 somewhat dry during the winter to thoroughly ripen the 

 wood, will at about July be studded w ith large panicles of 

 bright pink blossoms, the petals of which are much 

 crisped, thus adding to the elegant character of the 

 specimen. There is a variety (alba) in whii h the flowers 

 are white. These Lagersl ovinias will remain in health 

 for years, and flower well without being repotted. Large 

 specimens may be kept in tubs. 



Lantana. — Dwarf shrubby plants that produce their 

 flattened clusters of flowers in great profusion. There 

 are many species, hut the finest are the numerous garden 

 hybrids that have been raised therefrom. Numerous 

 shades of colour are represented amongst them, there 

 being white, yellow, pink, scarlet, and crimson flowers, 

 as well as many intermediate tints. In a green- 

 house they will flower throughout the summer, and 

 are also useful for bedding out. They all strike freely 

 from cuttings in the spring, and need only ordinary soil. 



Lasiandra maerantha, with rich violet-purple blossoms 



5in. across, is a magnificent roof or pillar plant, and the 



branched little 

 s li rub, with 

 small oval 

 leaves, and 

 tubular blos- 

 soms, scarlet, 

 tipped with 

 yellow, that are 

 home during 

 I h e winter 

 months; it 

 needs the same 

 treatment as a 

 Bouvardia. 



Lobelia.— 



There are many 

 species of this, 

 the most useful 

 for greenhouse 

 decoration 

 being L . 

 speciosa, the 

 looser forms of 

 which are suit- 

 able for the 

 d r a ping of 

 stages, hanging 

 baskets, etc. 

 The compact 

 varieties a r e 

 largely used for 

 bedding out. May be propagated either by cuttings or 

 seeds. Miss Elope, a white variety, is a delightful basket 

 plant. 



Lotus.- ( 'lie member of this genus, L. Jacobseus, has 

 prettily divided silky leaves and clusters of small Pea- 

 shaped flowers which are almost black. L. peliorhynchus 

 should be suspended, as in this way the shoots hang down 

 lor a couple of feet, and are towards the points crowded 

 with scarlet flowers. 



LllCUlia. — An evergreen shrub that needs to be planted 

 out in a greenhouse, where, given the same treatment as 

 a Camellia, it will late in the autumn produce large 

 Hydrangea-like heads of deliciously fragrant pink 

 blossoms. Cuttings are very difficult to strike, and 

 seedlings need careful treatment during their earlier 

 stages. 



Maekaya bella. — A shrub 6ft. high, from Natal, that 

 in April and May bears a profusion of Pentstemon-like 

 flowers, of a pale lilac veined with purple. 



Marguerites. — The Marguerite or ParisDaisy is frequently 

 grown in pots in the greenhouse, as well as for planting 

 out for the summer. There is the ordinary white form, 

 and the pretty yellow Etoile d'Or. It is a very simple 

 matter to raise them from cuttings, which should be 

 struck in ordinary soil in the spring, selecting moderately 

 ripened side shoots. Cut just under a joint, remove the 

 lower pair of leaves, and let the cuttings be about 3m. 

 long. Put them into pots well drained, and give gentle 

 w armth. When rooted pot off singly, and it is advisable 

 Lo nip out the points of each shoot so as to promote a 

 sturdy bushy growth. Pot on as the roots obtain full 

 possession of the soil, ami w hen approaching the flowering 

 stage weak liquid manure is helpful. The soil to use for 

 general pottings should he made up chiefly of good 

 fibrous loam mixed with a little well-decayed manure, 



