THE AMATEUR’S FLOWER GARDEN. 
183 
phiniums, lychnis, and other such bonny tc old-fashioned ” 
flowers, for the many tints of green there are in sncb borders, 
and perhaps the fine deep shadows of shrubs and trees in the 
rear, help to bring out the colours of these noble lobelias. To 
bring them to perfection by this treatment, all that is further 
needed is abundance of water. Give each clump half a gallon 
every evening (except during rainy weather), from the time 
of planting till the first flowers open ; and then discontinue 
watering, as the season will be advanced, and showers will 
probably suffice for their wants. As soon as the bloom is over 
they should be taken up, and be potted in light soil, and be 
kept out of doors till the nights are frosty, when they must 
be housed in a pit or greenhouse, or a window somewhere safe 
from frost, but in full light; and all winter they must have 
air as often as possible, and a little water to prevent them 
getting dry. Mind they never go dry, winter or summer—it 
is a golden rule. As for propagating, you can divide in May 
when planting out, or you can sow seed in May and June, or 
you may strike cuttings in autumn or spring if you can give 
them a little heat, or even without heat if you know how to 
strike cuttings at all. 
ISTow for the gardener’s system, which requires glass and 
grand notions. Gardeners are oftentimes puzzled to know 
how to vary the July and August show when all the “good 
things ” are over. Let them try lobelias of the cardinalis 
section, and cry out again when they have mastered all the 
points in the cultivation of these glorious subjects. Supposing 
the plants to be purchased in March, they ought at once to 
have a shift to 32-sized pots, the compost to be silky loam, 
leaf-mould, turfy peat, and rotten manure, equal parts. In 
these pots allow them to flower in the greenhouse, giving 
abundance of light and water until the first blooms open, 
and then gradually diminishing the supply. They will be 
useful in the conservatory, and will show their qualities suffi¬ 
ciently to prove that if well grown another season a sensation 
might be made with them. While they are in bloom mark 
the best for specimen growing, and at the end of October 
begin the routine. Take off the suckers as soon as they can 
be removed with something like a heel to them. Pot them in 
five-inch pots singly, and plunge in gentle bottom-heat. Use 
the same compost as above recommended, with one part of 
silver-sand added ; in after shifts return to the original com- 
