250 FLOWERS AND BEDDING PLANTS, 
half-hardy plants of recent introduction, which are remarkable for 
the great size, or rich colors of their leaves, are large enough to 
form, by themselves, groups of considerable size and beauty, from 
•midsummer till frost. Of these, the different varieties of the 
ricinus (castor-bean plants) are the most imposing in height, 
breadth, and size of leaves. The tree ricinus, R. borboniensis 
arboreus , grows in one season to the height of fifteen feet • the R. 
sanguineous , ten feet; the silver-leaved, R. africanus albidus, eight 
feet, and the common castor-oil bean, R. communis , five feet. 
These are all great spreading plants. The arunda donax is a tall 
plant resembling the sugar-cane, grows rapidly to the height of ten 
feet, and takes up but little room horizontally. The magnificent 
cannas are of all sizes, from two to seven feet in height, and mass 
well either in beds by themselves, or with low plants of lighter- 
colored foliage in front of them, and the arunda donax or the Japan¬ 
ese striped maize behind them. The Japanese striped maize is a 
curiously beautiful species of corn from four to six feet in height, 
with leaves brightly striped with white and green. The hollyhocks 
are noble perennials greatly neglected. Few plants make so showy 
a display massed in beds, to be seen at a little distance. Height, 
three to six feet. The wigandia caracasana is a very robust 
bedding-plant which attains the height of six feet, and is remark¬ 
able for the size and beauty of its leaves. The Nicotea atro- 
purpurea grandijlora is also noticeable for the robust beauty of its 
foliage, to which is added the charm of showy dark-red blossoms. 
The beauty of the gorgeous-leaved colleus verschafelti is pretty 
well known. In the open sun, and in rich moist soil, each plant 
will form a compact mass of foliage two feet in height and 
breadth. It also makes a brilliant border for the larger plants. 
The larger geraniums can also be used for the same purpose, and 
sweet peas, the larger cenotheras, the lillium giganteum, and many 
others, are good taller plants to place behind them. While masses 
of shrubs usually display their greatest floral beauty in the spring 
and early summer, these grand annuals and semi-tropical plants 
attain their greatest luxuriance of leaf and bloom at the season’s 
close. The brilliantly-colored or variegated-leaved plants, most of 
which are half-hardy, require to be propagated and grown in pots 
