414 



THE IRESINES OR ACHYRANTHES. 



It has proved a uniform bearer o£ perfect fruit with me. 

 It ripens with the Maiden's Blush and is in every way 

 superior to this famous old variety. 



After the Shiawassee I would place the Hubbardston. 

 It is one of our smooth, perfect apples, of good quality, 

 and comes in late fall and early winter, when a good 



eating apple is in demand. Many of our people place 

 the Baldwin first, but Michigan and Western New York 

 have more Baldwins in prolific seasons than of all other 

 varieties ; and while planters have generally planted the 

 long-keeping varieties, I believe that future planters in 

 Berrien county will find the earlier fancv varieties. 



THE IRESINES OR ACHYRANTHES. 



GOOD FOLI.\GE PL.\NTS FOR ALL SEASONS. 



THE several species or varieties of iresine, or, 

 as they are occasionally called, achy- 

 ranthes, form when taken together a very 

 beautiful genus of stove or warm green- 

 house plants, belonging to the natural order Ama- 

 rantaceEB. 



They are plants of rather succulent habit, growing 

 about two feet in height, having richly colored foliage, 

 which varies in the different varieties from dark crimson 

 to golden yellow. They are of rapid growth and of the 

 very easiest cultivation, and I consider them among the 

 most useful of ornamental-leaved plants. They can be 

 used to advantage during the summer for bedding pur- 

 poses, and some varieties will be found very useful to 

 mix with plants having light-colored foliage, while large 

 single specimens appropriately placed in the mixed 

 border will brighten it up, and render it more attractive 

 during the late summer and early autumn months. 



The iresines can also be used to good advantage for 

 the decoration of the warm greenhouse during the winter 

 season ; and as they are much hardier than the coleus, 

 they can, with a little care and attention, be grown in 

 an ordinary sitting-room during the winter, and this 

 renders them excellent window-garden plants. When 

 used as bedding plants or for decorative purposes during 

 the summer season, they should have a deep, moderately 

 enriched soil, and, if at all possible, a sunny situation, 

 although they will do well if grown in partial shade. 

 They should be placed about one foot apart, and pinched 

 back occasionally so as to keep them in their proper 

 place. For outside use young plants should be obtained 

 as early in the season as possible, and grown in small 

 pots until the weather becomes warm and settled, when 

 they can be planted outside. 



Where fine specimens are desired for the decoration 

 of the conservatory or window-garden during the win- 

 ter, they should be grown especially for that purpose. 

 The young plants should be placed in a nicely prepared 

 border, at least two feet apart, and grown carefully dur- 

 ing the summer. They should be freely pinched back, 

 so as to make compact specimens, and staked if neces- 

 sary. Early in September they should be taken up and 

 potted. In potting, use porous or soft-baked pots ; let 

 them be proportionate to the size of the plants, and see 

 to it that they are well drained. Give them a compost 

 composed of two-thirds well decayed sods, and one-third 

 well decomposed manure. The plants should be placed 

 in a light, sunny situation, and given a temperature of 

 from 50 to 55 degrees. Water must be given frequently. 



but one should avoid keeping the plants too wet at their 

 roots. It is well to sprinkle them freely overhead dur- 

 ing bright, sunny weather, so as to guard against the at- 

 tacks, of the red spider, as this pest often infests the 

 leaves in such numbers as to cause them to drop off. 



Propagation is easily effected by cuttings of the half- 

 ripened wood, placed in sand and given bottom heat. 

 If the young plants so obtained are rooted early in the 

 season and liberally cared for, good specimens can be 

 readily obtained. The following are the most distinct 

 and desirable sorts : 



/. Cnseii has leaves acuminate and of a bright golden 

 yellow, veined with green. It is a strong-growing va- 

 riety, of spreading habit, seldom exceeding one foot in 

 height. 



/. Collinsii has leaves lanceolate in shape and beauti- 

 fully marked with yellow, pink and green, the yellow 

 predominating. The stems and midribs are crimson. 

 The plant is of strong, upright, compact growth, attain- 

 ing a height of over two feet. It is one of the most dis- 

 tinct species yet introduced. 



/. Emersonii has 1 eaves lanceolate in shape and of a 

 light red color. The stems and midribs are pink. The 

 plant is of compact habit, growing about one foot in 

 height. 



/. Hoveyi has large leaves, 

 acuminate, of a carmine 

 color, shaded with dark and 

 light pink. The plant is 

 of spreading habit, seldom 

 growing more than one foot 

 in height. 



/. Lindenii has leaves lan- 

 ^ ceolate in shapeand of a deep 

 '- blood-red color. The plant 

 is strong and compact in 

 habit, seldom growing over 

 one foot in height. 



/. Hcrhstii au7-eo-reticnlata 

 {A. Verschafffltii) has foli- 

 iRESiNE Herbstii aureo- age beautifully reticulated 

 RETICULATA. ^jt^ g^een and gold, and 



stems of a bright, transparent carmine The plant is 

 of a dwarf, spreading habit, and is an old but beautiful 

 and distinct kind. The cut represents this species, 



/. IVolseyii has small leaves of a dark, metallic crim- 

 son color. The plant is dwarf and compact in habit, 

 and grows about eight inches in height. It is one of the 

 best for the window-garden. Chas. E. Parnell. 



QiiL'ens County, N. Y. 



