364 
THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
Tima treated, this fine Pentstemon will bloom from the end of June 
to September, and produce abundance of seeds, which should again 
be sown as above stated, for in reality the plant is not more than a 
biennial, and requires to be raised every year from seed to keep up a 
succession. When an account of this plant was first published, it 
was stated to be a perennial, and this led many to suppose it was 
difficult to preserve for any length of time. 
JUSTICIA CAKNEA. 
OME plants, though really valuable, grow so rapidly 
and form specimens with so little skill and care, that 
good growers seem to consider them unworthy of atten- 
tion, and they soon fall into unmerited neglect, through 
being left to the care of indifferent cultivators. To this 
class belongs the plant at present under notice, which, although of 
the easiest possible culture, forming superb specimens in a very short 
time, and blooming most profusely two or three times in a season, 
is seldom met with except in a neglected state. Those who had 
the pleasure of seeing the fine example of this Justicia which was 
exhibited in the Horticultural Society’s rooms some years ago, will 
readily agree with me when I say that it is well deserving more 
attention than it at present receives. The specimen referred to was 
about three feet in height, upwards of four l’eet in width, and was 
covered to the edge of the pot with flower-spikes, the number of 
which was 156. The plant was struck in April, and shifted into a 
seven-inch pot in August, in which it was wintered, keeping it in a 
cool house, and rather dry at the roots. In the beginning of March 
it was shifted into a fifteen-inch pot, and placed near the glass in a 
house where the temperature ranged from 50 u to 64°, with fire-heat. 
Here it was afforded a slight bottom-heat, a moist atmosphere, and a 
free circulation of air whenever the weather would permit. This 
plant being impatient of an excess of moisture at the roots, water 
was applied very sparingly to the soil, until it was evident from the 
growth of the shoots that the rcots had got good hold of the fresh 
soil ; indeed, beyond syringing morning and evening, very little water 
was given. The plant is a very rapid grower, and very much inclined 
to become leggy and thin at the base, which stopping will hardly 
prevent, as the back buds do not break freely, and the centre shoots 
always have an inclination to take a decided lead over the others. 
To remedy this, the shoots were pegged down, bringing them almost 
down to the surface of the soil, which caused the back buds to push, 
and when the points of the old shoots turned up and showed a ten- 
dency to grow too fast for the others, they were stopped, and any 
shoot towards the centre which seemed inclined to rob its fellows, 
was pegged down so as to equalize the growth. Early in May the 
plant produced ten fine spikes of blossom, and was removed to the 
flower-house, observing, of course, to prepare it for the change. 
When the beauty of the flowers was over, the spikes were cut off. 
