84 
THE FLORIST. 
WINTER-FLOWERING PLANTS. 
Intermixed with fine foliage and Ferns, Azaleas, Camellias, Heaths, 
Epacrises, Acacias, Correas, Orange-trees (in fruit and blossom), 
Primulas, Violets, Mignonette, Cinerarias, Roses, Pernettyas, Euphor¬ 
bias, and Ixoras have a fine effect. The last may be so managed as to 
bloom very late, and are extremely beautiful during winter. To the 
above may be added Begonias, Carnations, Daphnes, Linum trigynum 
(a showy plant for decorative purposes and of very simple culture), 
Gesneras, and Cyclamens. The latter are most useful at this time, and 
the many new varieties are very pretty; they do best planted out in 
frames early in the season, and potted early in autumn. Other useful 
plants for winter decoration are Velthemia viridifolia, Thyrsacanthus 
rutilans, Pentas rosea, Orchids, and Luculia gratissima. The last is 
certainly one of the most beautiful of all winter-blooming conservatory 
plants, and not so much cultivated as it ought to be ; pot plants of it 
require much attention during summer, and may be successfully grown 
in cool frames ; finer flowers are, however, got from planted out 
specimens. Medinilla speciosa seems to bloom later than M. mag- 
nifica, and is very handsome and showy during winter. Eranthemums, 
Justicias, Fuchsia Dominiana, Ardisia crenulata, and others, may also 
be had in beautiful condition; the last, with their red, black, and white 
berries, are very interesting and pretty. Kruskumeria spectabilis, a 
new stove plant sent out from the Horticultural Society’s gardens, of 
very easy culture, and with flowers of a beautiful lilac colour, would be 
a great acquisition if the habit was less weedy. Amaryllis, by previous 
management, may be got in bloom during winter, and are showy and 
interesting for conservatory purposes. Thunbergia laurifolia, a stove 
climber of exquisite beauty, and of easy culture, I find grows rapidly 
in a mixture of rich loam and sand ; the flowers somewhat resemble 
those of the Meyenia erecta, which is another very beautiful plant. 
Impatiens Jerdonise and I. Hookeriana, the latter not so free flowering 
with us, but nevertheless very beautiful, are also well worth attention. 
For the use of the conservatory and general decorative purposes, no plants 
are more useful and decorative than Begonias are ; red, pink, and white 
varieties are very numerous; some of them have remarkably handsome 
foliage, and being plants of such simple culture they have much to 
recommend them. We have one entire house of them, and during all 
seasons we have plants in bloom. - Many of the varieties raised at the 
Royal Gardens, Frogmore, are extremely beautiful, but none more so 
than the old insignis and Mr. Frost’s Prestoniensis. Some of them 
show a tendency to spot on the leaf, like the pretty Sonerila margari- 
tacea, and this, to cross with others of the showy class, may produce a 
fine strain of valuable plants. 
These plants become mixed together as they are in use in the con¬ 
servatory, house, &c. Of Acacia Drummondi, a plant of rare beauty 
among the Acacias, small plants flower very profusely in winter. As 
to Calla sethiopica, few plants are more handsome and beautiful in a 
vase than this very common plant, when in bloom. It forces easily, 
but must be put at rest in summer. 
January 22. F. 
