THE FLORIST’S JOURNAL. 
bloomer, particularly adapted to out-doors trellis. T. tuberosum has, for the 
last two years, attracted a great deal of notice from the difficulty experienced 
in getting it to bloom. It may be done by first getting the plant into a strong 
growing condition by planting it in rich earth, and then suddenly shifting it 
into very poor earth, such as old lime rubbish and poor earth from a common. 
It will do either in a conservatory or planted out in a warm border. It is a 
remarkable and interesting fact, that the flowers of this genus may be seen (if 
closely observed) on a summer’s evening to emit small electrical sparks or 
threads of light. 
NEMOPHILA INSIGNIS. 
This pretty little annual is an especial favourite wherever grown. We can 
readily conceive the delight and surprise it must have inspired when first seen 
in its own wild prairies ; since which it has become so well habituated to our 
climate, that, if allowed to stand, it will seed and rise again without any 
trouble,—and indeed the plants are then stronger, and bloom earlier than when 
artificially raised. This, with the varieties atomaria, of which there are two, 
(the one being a pure white, thickly studded with minute black spots, and the 
other alight blue with small white spots,) are well adapted for early flowering. 
In an airy greenhouse or cold frame, they will stand the winter, and produce 
their beautiful blooms as early as February : —indeed we have had them at 
Christmas. For this purpose, small plants should be selected from the borders 
of the flower garden, in September, at which time there is generally plenty of 
self-sown plants. To bloom 4 in summer, seed should be sown about the 
beginning of March in the open border, choosing a shaded situation; and a 
small sowing once a fortnight till the middle of April will ensure a succession 
of bloom all summer. N.aurita is an older inhabitant of our island. It 
is a deep lilac colour, of rather coarse habit, but a good border variety. 
LOBELIA HETEROPHYLLA. 
The genus Lobelia has already been noticed in part in the Florist s Journal; 
but much remains of this extensive family. It comprises upwards of tw’enty 
species, only two of which, L. Dortmanna and L. urens , are natives of England, 
the others are found in every quarter of the globe. Our present subject, 
L. heteroplnjlla, is a fine greenhouse herbaceous plant, producing its vivid 
coloured flowers from the axils of the petiole, or leaf-stalk; and, what is very 
desirable, it is an early spring flower. It may be increased by cuttings or seed, 
and is easily kept through the winter, taking care that it is not over watered. 
There have been some interesting additions made to this genus lately. 
Among the rest, L. ignea and A. ramosa stand most prominent; the fust is a 
native of Mexico,-—seeds having been received by M. Makoy of Liege, and 
from thence it came to England. At first it w r as considered more tendei than 
the other Lobelias ; but since it has been found equally hardy, and will do well 
planted in the open border, giving it the protection of a greenhouse or cold 
frame during winter. L. ramosa is of similar habit to the species figured. 
It emanated from the Horticultural Society’s Gardens, and is also a native of 
Mexico. It is strikingly singular in its manner of blooming, the flowers 
being branching, as the generic name implies they are: they are produced 
alternately over each other. 
