Illustrated Notes from Former Park's Floral Guides 
CALCEOLARIAS. Hybrid Calceolarias are beau¬ 
tiful window plants, easily cultivated, and generally 
successful in the hands of the skillful amateur florist. 
The seeds are very 
small, and must be 
sown in pressed 
rows after the soil 
has been sifte d 
through a fine 
sieve, packed well 
and watered. Do 
not cover with soil, 
but spread a thick 
cloth over the pot 
or box, and keep 
moist until the plants appear. Remove the cloth, then 
keep mostly in shade, but where the young plants 
will get plenty of light. When large enough, pick the 
little plants out with a penknife, and set them an 
inch or more apart, the soil (a mixture of loam, leaf- 
mold, and sand) being previously well firmed. When 
large enough, pot the young plants firmly, in three- 
inch pots, and give a partially shaded situation. As 
growth advances, shift into larger pots until they are 
in six or seven-inch pots, in which they may be al¬ 
lowed to bloom. Manure water applied every week 
as the buds begin to develop will also be found ben¬ 
eficial. The time to sow Hybrid Calceolarias is in the 
latter part of July and early part of August. Properly 
treated the plants will then bloom during the spring 
months, and prove very attractive, as in most locali¬ 
ties they are quite rare. It is to be hoped that many 
who have been successfully growing the Chinese 
Primrose, Cineraria, and other plants will try the 
Hybrid Calceolarias, and find them a valuable ac¬ 
quisition to their window collection. 1903 
NEMOPHILA. A very pretty little California an¬ 
nual is Nemophila, the seeds of which can be suc¬ 
cessfully sown in autumn. 
The plants are of prostrate 
habit, only about 6 in. high, 
and are very free-blooming 
during spring and early sum¬ 
mer. The flowers vary from 
white to blue, some being 
beautifully blotched or spot¬ 
ted. The seeds start readily, and the plants require 
but little attention, except to keep the weeds from 
among them. 1909 
NOTE. A bed of Nemophila, sown along our walk 
from the house to the office, re-seeds itself, and each 
year surprises us by springing up and making a de¬ 
lightful display of delicate flowers, the admiration 
of all visitors. Mrs. Park. 
EUPHORBIA VARIEGATA. A subscriber asks, 
about the propagation of this plant from seeds, (not 
having been success¬ 
ful with it). The seeds 
are of a good size, and 
should be covered a- 
bout an eighth inch 
deep, the soil being 
sandy and well-drain¬ 
ed. The plants can be 
transplanted when 
large enough. The 
seeds may be sown outdoors in autumn and the 
young plants will appear promptly in early spring, 
quickly developing into handsome, branching and 
blooming plants which are beautiful throughout the 
season. When the leaves are bruised or the branches 
disturbed a milky juice is exuded which, to some 
persons, is poisonous, especially when it touches 
the face or lips. In the South this plant is found 
growing wild, and is very beautiful and attractive 
during the autumn months. 1913 [ 
BROWALLIA Speciosa. This new, elegant pot 
and bedding plant, de¬ 
serves a place in every 
flower collection. It is eas¬ 
ily grown from seeds, and 
seedlings begin to bloom in 
two or three months, keep¬ 
ing up the display contin¬ 
uously till the plants are ex¬ 
hausted. The plants grow a 
foot high, are of rather trail- 
ing habit, and become a 
showy mass of rich foliage 
and splendid blue flowers. 
Good blue flowers are not plentiful, and this is so at¬ 
tractive and handsome that the gardener falls in love 
with it at first sight. 1906 
PHLOX DRUMMONDII. This is a native of Tex¬ 
as, but has been in cultivation since 1835. At first 
the flowers and clusters were small, but the colors, 
mostly shades of red or purple, were bright, and 
seen even in its native haunts it was a very attract¬ 
ive flower. Since its introduction, however, it has 
been very much improved, so that it has become 
one of our most beautiful and useful annuals. Per¬ 
haps the most popular race 
at present is the Grandiflora 
type. In this there are many 
varieties, showing colors 
from white to deep purple 
and blue, and stripes and 
markings of great diversity 
and beauty. The plants are 
robust in growth and bear 
large clusters of flowers of 
extraordinary size and sub¬ 
stance. The new Nana Com- 
pacta Phlox has large flow¬ 
ers; while the plants grow 
only 8 in. high, they soon 
become a globular mas3 of flowers. Many colors ap¬ 
pear in this variety, and it has become popular, not 
only for pots and window-boxes, but for beds and 
borders as well. The Star or Cuspidata varieties, as 
also those with fringed petals, are odd in appear¬ 
ance, but not so showy as the plain varieties. They 
are pretty, but will never become popular while 
there are other races so much more attractive. All 
are easily raised from seeds and the plants begin 
blooming when quite small, continuing throughout 
the season. 1910 
COBAEA SCANDENS, CATHEDRAL BELLS. 
This is a beautiful, rapid-grow¬ 
ing vine from Mexico. The seeds 
are grown in pods, and are flat 
and winged. They start readily 
when planted edgewise and not 
too freely watered. Repot the 
young plants as they grow, and 
if you wish to retard growth, cut 
them back. At transplanting 
time plant out in rich soil in a 
warm, sunny place. The south 
side of a house just suits the 
plants. Furnish strings for sup¬ 
port as soon as transplanting is done. Very soon the 
growth will be vigorous, and the long-stemmed, 
graceful, drooping purple and white bells will ap¬ 
pear. The plants climb by means of tendrils which 
issue from the tip of the leaf, and it is not uncommon 
for vines to reach a height of 30 to 40 ft. during the 
season, blooming freely and continuously till frost. 
In foliage, flower and general appearance the plant 
always commands attention, and should have a place 
in every collection where a strong-growing and 
beautiful vine is desired. 1899 
