3D 3 THE CENTURY BOOK OF GARDENING. 



use the same kind of soil as for potting, and when sown 

 the seeds should be lightly covered with it. If put in a 

 clo^e propagating cas;, or a pane of glass be laid over the 

 pot, the seeds will soon germinate, and when large 

 enough the see llings may be potted off. 



Aphelandra. — A quick-growing class of half-shrubby 

 plants with bright-coloured blossoms, which are freely 

 Imrne on quite small specimens. The . are valuable 

 I'D winter blooming. In some the foliage is very prettily 

 marked. The best are : A. aurantiaca, orange ; A. 

 aurantiaca Rcezli, scarlet, silvery leaves ; A. cristata, 

 orange scarlet, large: A. Leopoldi, yellow; A. nitens, 

 s arlet, olive green glossy leaves. 



Blllbergia. — Nearly related to the Pine Apple, and, like 

 it, having lor the most part strap-shaped leaves of a harsh 

 texture, and more or less spiny. They succeed best in 

 fibrous peat and sand, with good drainage and an ample 

 supply ol water. The flowers, which are borne in spikes 

 pushed up from the centre of the tuft of leaves, are not 

 only pretty in themselves but are attended by bright- 

 coloured bracts. Good kinds are : B amcena, B. Bara- 

 quiniana, B. Moreliana, B. nutans, B. roseo marginata, 

 B. vittata, B. zebrina. The flowering period is princi- 

 pally during the spring and summer. 



Centropogon Lueyanus. A loose, soft-growing plant, 

 that succeeds with ordinary treatment. The flowers, 

 which are freely produced in clusters on the points of the 

 long arching shoots, are tubular in shape, 2in. long, 

 and of a bright rosv carmine colour. It is especially 

 valuable from the fact that it flowers during late autumn 

 and winter. 



CostUS. — There are about half-a-dozen species of Costus in 

 cultivation, but onlv one that can be particularly recom- 

 mended. This is C. igneus, a native of Bahia. It forms 

 a fleshy root stock, from which soft stems are pushed up 

 to a height of 2ft. They are terminated by a cone- 

 like head, from whence numerous flowers are pro- 

 duced. The blooms, which are thin in texture ami do 

 not last long, make up for this by the succession that is 

 kept up for weeks from one head. They are about 2 in. 

 in diameter, and of a rich fiery orange colour. Ordinary 

 potting compost . with a liberal water supply, will suit it well. 



Crossandra undulsefolia. — An upright-growing plant, 



reaching a height of 2ft.. the blossoms, which are borne 

 during the summer in many-flowered spikes at the points 

 of the shoots, being of an orange salmon tint. 



Cyrtodeira metalliea.- This is a soft-growing, creeping 

 plant, with hairy leaves, ovate in shape, and of an olive- 

 green tint, the central portion of which more particularly 

 is overspread with a metallic lustre. The flowers are- 

 scarlet, and freely borne during the summer months. This 

 p'ant is very useful for grow ing in suspended baskets, for 

 furnishing the surface of large pots or tubs, or for planting 

 on rockwork in the shady part of the stove. It will grow 

 well in any light comp >st. Other kinds much in the 

 same way are C. chontalensis and C. fulgida, with lilac 

 and crimson flowers respectively. 



Eranthemiim. — This family consists of quick-growing 

 plants of simple culture, and contains many diverse forms. 

 Several of them are of erect growth, with the flowers 

 borne in spikes at the points of the shoots. E. Ander- 

 soni, white and purple ; E. cinnabarinum, rosy red; E. 

 Cooperi, white, dotted purple ; E. pulchellum, rich bright 

 blue, particularly valuable for winter; and E. tubercu- 

 latum, white, are all good. 



EuchariS. — A class of bulbous plants, all of which are 

 universal favourites. Far and away the most popular, 

 however, is E. amazonica, or grandiflora, whose flowers 

 are in such demand for bouquets, w reaths, and other pur- 

 poses. It is grown in enormous quantities by some culti- 

 vators, the yield in cut flowers being very great, and the 

 demand for them always good. The soil best suited for 

 the Eucharis is about two-thirds good turfy loam to one- 

 third well-decayed leaf mould, with a liberal sprinkling 

 of silver sand, and nodules of charcoal about the size of 

 Hazel nuts. The bulbs may be put singly in pots Sin. 

 or 6in. in diameter, or large masses may be formed by 

 putting several bulbs together, the size of the pot being 



of course increased. Under favourable conditions they 

 will flower more or less throughout the year. When once 

 established they are rather impatient of being disturbed 

 at the roots, hence to avoid repotting the necessary 

 stimulus in the shape of liquid manure should be occa- 

 sionally applied. The best time for this is just as the 

 flower spikes are visible. No course of drying-off is 

 needed, but the water supply should be somewhat lessened 

 for a time after the flowering period is over. Two or 

 three crops are often borne in one year. Besides the 

 species just mentioned, there are K. Candida, E. Lowi, 

 E. Mastersi, E. Sanderiana, and E. Stevensi. F. Bur- 

 fordensis is a new hybrid and a charming white flower, 

 very fragrant. It will probably become very popular, as 

 it is free and in every way a welcome acquisition. 

 Euphorbia. — Two species are valuable flowering plants, 

 one of them, E. jacquinueflora, or fulgens as it is also 

 called, being largely grown lor winter blooming. This 

 produces long slender wand-like shoots, clothed with 

 deep green lanceolate leaves, and wreathed for some 

 distance along the upper part with a profusion of bright 

 orange scarlet flowers. To succeed in its culture this 

 Euphorbia requires very careful treatment. After flower- 

 ing, the plants should be kept moderately dry, and in a 

 somewhat lower temperature till about May, when if 

 taken into the stove growth will recommence, and 

 when the young shoots are about 4m, long they may be 

 taken off as cuttings. If three cuttings are inserted 

 around the edge of a small pot, and sandy soil is used, 

 they will soon root if in a propagating case. Great care 

 must, however, be taken not to keep the case too close, 

 and not to over-water the cuttings, otherwise they quickly 

 decay. When rooted they must lie inured to the air, 

 and when suffi i en tly established shifted into pots 5111. in 

 diameter, in which they will flower. Loam lightened by 

 sand, mortar rubbish, and decayed leaf mould suits this 

 Euphorbia well. The plants are benefited by being placed 

 out of doors in a frame during the summer. < )ld plants 

 that have flowered may be grown on the following season 

 by cutting them back bird after a period of rest, and 

 potting them as soon as the young shoots show themselves. 

 E. splendens, the second species, is a rambling-growing 

 plant, well suited for furnishing the roof or end of the 

 stove providing it is thoroughly exposed to the sun. It 

 i. a rough spiny subject, and dangerous to handle. The 

 bright red flowers are borne in great profusion throughout 

 the spring. 



Gardenia. — There are several Gardenias, but the kinds 

 that are grown almost to the exclusion of the rest are the 

 d mble forms of G. florida and G. radicans, the lirsl- 

 11 lined especially being a general favourite. It forms a 

 neat-growing bush, with deep green glossy leaves and 

 pure white blossoms, which are highly fragrant. 



According to the treatment given, the Gardenia will 

 flower at different periods of the year, but in a general 

 way the flowers are borne in greatest freedom towads 

 the end of the summer and in early autumn. Briefly, its 

 •culture may be summed up in plenty of heat and moisture 

 during the spring in order to encourage a liberal grow th, 

 then more air and sunshine to ripen the wood. Cuttings 

 strike root readily in the spring, and they will flower 

 freely when quite small. 



Gesnera. — Beautiful flowering plants whose season of 

 blooming is as a rule during the summer or even later, 

 while a few may be had in flower in the winter. While- 

 all of them are remarkable for their show y blossoms, there- 

 are a lew with very handsome foliage. Some of them 

 are tuberous, while others form a mass of curious cater- 

 pillar-like roots. Both, however, die quite to the ground 

 when dormant, and pass the season of rest in this state. 

 When about to start them in the spring the tubers should 

 be shaken entirely clear of the old soil, and potted in a 

 light compost, such as equal parts of loam and leaf mould, 

 with a good sprinkling of sand. G. cardinalis, scarlet : 

 G. elliptica lutea, yellow ; G. nsgelioides, in different 

 forms ; G. exoniensis, large dark velvety leaves and 

 orange scarlet flowers ; and G. refulgens, with rca 

 blossoms and beautiful foliage, are all good. 



