236 
THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
No. 1. Alternantliera magnifica, faced with a line next the grass 
of Echeveria secunda glauca. 2. Crescents of the Golden Thyme. 
3. Alternantliera paronychoides. 4. Lobelia pumila grandiflora. 
5. Circle of Golden Feather. 6. Circle of Cineraria maritima. 7. 
Block of Coleus VerschafFelti. a. Band of Golden Feather ; b. band 
of Iresine. There was also in the same garden a bed with the same 
design, but coloured in a different manner, and it was difficult to say 
which was really the most effective, both were so good. No. 1. Lo- 
belia pumila grandiflora. 2. Cerastium tomentosum. 3. Alter- 
nanthera rnagnifica. 4. Lobelia White Perfection. 5 and G. Broad 
band of Cineraria acanthisefolia. 7. Iresiue Lindeni. a. Band of 
Centaurea ragusina. h. Band of Coleus Verschaffelti. A similarly- 
designed bed may he coloured in several ways, and it may also be 
broken up into diamonds and triangles with good effect. Circular 
beds cut up into segments with lines of Golden Feather, or some 
other dwarf-growing silvery or golden-leaved plant, and the seg- 
ments filled w'ith Alternantheras or Coleus, have a very pretty 
appearance,^ as also do beds with a star of Coleus in the centre, and 
the points filled with Golden Feather. As regards the combination 
of colours, it will serve all practical purposes if it is said that red 
and gold are best placed iii conjunction, and blue and white ; white, 
however, contrasts well with red, chocolate, and crimson shades; but 
blue does not produce a good effect in juxtaposition with yellow 
foliage. The undermentioned are the most useful plants for leaf- 
embroidery and carpet-bedding. 
Daek-leaved Plants. — Alternantheras are most valuable for 
leaf-embroidered beds, but they require the temperature of an inter- 
mediate house or stove during the winter. They also require a 
similar temperature in which to strike the cuttings, both in autumn 
and spring. About one-third of the number should be propagated 
now, and the remainder in the spring. Select the healthy green 
shoots for cuttings, and insert them in properly-prepared five-inch 
pots, and place them in a shady position in the stove or cucumber- 
house. Alter they are struck, place them near the glass, and keep 
them moderately supplied with water during the winter. Every 
endeavour must be made in the early part of the season to induce 
them to grow freely, as the green shoots strike more readily, and 
when exposed to the sun they soon assume their proper colours. 
After they are potted off in the spring they will require stopping 
once. The best is A. magnifica. A. 'paronychoides is of free growth, 
but badly coloured ; and A., amwna is too highly coloured to grow 
freely, and must be planted quite close together; it is not, therefore, 
suitable for amateurs. They are best adapted for second and 
divisional lines, as they do not exceed four inches in height, and 
A. magnifica covers a space of about five inches in diameter. 
The well-known Amarantlius melancholicus ruber is very useful 
for centres and second lines of large beds. It usually attains a 
height of eight or ten inches, but by a judicious system of pinching 
it can be kept much lower. It should be sown in heat, towuirds the 
end of March, and when strong enough, potted singly or pricked off 
into boxes, and then carefully hardened off. It is rather tender, but 
