TENDER BORDER AND BEDDING PLANTS. 337 
Lobelia.. — A genus of tender annuals, tender and hardy 
perennials, belonging to the Harebell order (Campanulaceae). 
The tender kinds are the well-known dwarf lobelias, much 
used for summer bedding, and of which L. Erinus, a South 
African species, is the parent. Although the bedding Lobelia 
is more or less regarded as an annual, it is a perennial. 
There are two or three distinct types of these dwarf lobelias 
in cultivation. There is, for example, the Compacta type, a 
compact grover; speciosa, a type with larger flowers; and 
pumila, a very dwarf type. Barnard’s Perpetual, Cobalt Blue, 
Crystal Palace, and Emperor William are good blue varieties ; 
Compacta alba, White Gem, and White Lady, good white 
sorts ; and Carmine Gem, Prima Donna, and tricolor, good 
carmine or red sorts. There are single and double-flowered 
varieties. These dwarf sorts are easily reared from seed in 
heat in early spring, or in early autumn, transplanted into 
boxes, hardened off in May and planted out 2 to 3m. apart 
in beds in June. Or, if plants of a uniform size and special 
variety be desired, cuttings can be taken off old plants in 
January and February, inserted in boxes of light, sandy 
soil in heat, and, when rooted, potted or boxed off, kept in 
heat till May, then hardened off and planted out in June. To 
get a supply of plants for yielding cuttings in spring, lift 
plants from the open in September, plant in small pots and 
grow on a shelf near the glass in a warm house. A fortnight 
before lifting the old plants cut off the flower shoots to 
within a couple of inches of the ground, then the plants will 
winter more safely. These Lobelias are too tender to grow 
outside in winter, or even to be kept in a cold frame. A 
heated greenhouse is essential to preserve them. L. ramosa 
is a tender annual species of a more free growing type than 
L. erinus. It is much grown for trailing in vases, window 
boxes, etc. There are blue, white and rose varieties of it, 
and all are easily reared from seed as advised for L. Erinus. 
Melianthus (Cape Honey Flower). — M. major is a hand- 
some sub-tropical plant with finely-cut glaucous foliage, and 
grown solely for its ornamental foliage as a decorative 
summer bedding plant. It belongs to the Horse-chestnut 
order (Sapindaceae) and is a native of S. Africa. Although 
a shrubby plant it is best treated as a half-hardy annual, 
seeds being sown in heat early in the year, the seedlings 
grown on in pots, hardened off in May, and planted out in 
June. This ornamental plant is well suited for intermixing 
with Cannas, Castor Oil, and Tobacco plants in large beds. 
Mesembryanthemum (Fig Marigold). — A genus of 
tender plants with fleshy succulent foliage, belonging to the 
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