TENDER BORDER AND BEDDING PLANTS. 328 
plant will grow in the crevices of damp walls or among hardy 
ferns in the outdoor fernery. The Cotyledons belong to the 
Stonecrop family (Crassulaceae). 
Cuphea (Cigar Plant). — A tender Mexican plant, with 
coloured stems and bright scarlet flowers, with black and white 
tips resembling the ash of a cigar. A member of the Loose- 
strife order (Lythraceae). The only species worth growing is 
C. ignea (Syn. C. platycentra), and this grows about a foot 
high and forms a neat bushy plant. This species is used 
for massing in borders and beds in summer. It may be raised 
from seed in heat in February, and planted out late in May; 
or, better still, increased by cuttings in heat in spring, the 
plants growm on, and planted late in May. It requires a well- 
drained and not too heavy soil. C. lanceolata alba, white, and 
C. silenoides, crimson, are dwarf annual species, which must 
be raised from seed in heat and planted out late in May. 
Dahlia.. — The Dahlia is universally recognised as one of 
the most popular and attractive of all the tender plants grown 
for garden decoration. It is especially valuable from the fact 
of its flowering during the autumn months, and thus adding 
greatly to the charm and beauty of the garden at a period when 
most other summer flowers are waning in attractiveness. No 
garden indeed can afford to dispense with the Dahlia. More- 
over, apart from their garden decorative value. Dahlias are 
paticularly useful for cutting for indoor or church adornment. 
The most popular types of the Dahlia grown in gardens at 
the present day are the Cactus, Paeony-flowered, Collarette, 
Star, Decorative, Pompon, and Single. The Cactus type have 
double flowers, with twisted, rolled, or spiked petals, borne on 
stout stiff stems. The Paeony-flowered have large, massive, 
semi-double tiow r ers, with broad fluted or flattish petals, loosely 
arranged, thus imparting a somewhat artistic appearance to 
them. They are usually vigorous growers. The Collarettes 
are extremely quaint in the formation of their blooms. They 
have an outer ring of broad flat petals, and a central open disc 
surrounded by a ring of white, cream, yellow, or rose florets 
arranged in small groups. This type has become exceedingly 
popular of late years. Star Dahlias have single or semi-double 
flowered blooms of elegant star-like formation. They are 
borne on rigid stems, are very dainty in colour, and particularly 
suitable for cutting for home decoration. Decorative Dahlias 
have large double blooms, with more or less twisted, flattish 
flowers. They are a useful type for massing in borders tc 
yield a bright display of colour. Pompons are a dwarf race of 
Dahlias of bushy habit, and bearing medium-sized, roundish 
