_& 
Ro SES 3 >) All the leading varieties, half. Sees Ey ‘each - »: af ae == ‘ 
Ee wuit Erees 5 g Orange, Lenion, Bbicli Apple, Pear, eens ete. 
HARDY SHRUBS, Trees, Climbers, etc. . 
| BULBS, IR RADER AES Daffodil, BSE SSIS : NIECES: 
—— => p => DD) Es 5) Vegetable, and Blover. Apron ltcaly SEO Sundries i in, ret variet. ty 
AB: & W. HAC KETT, | 
Seedsimen, Nursérymen, &e., 
13 ‘Rundle SURES Adelaide, 
i ihe ce Gaxden. 
‘THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
Gladiolus. 
——— 
The Pentstemon, 
[By J. Croyiy.] 
The garden varieties of the pentstemon 
are valuable plants for flower beds and 
borders, as they grow freely with a mode- 
rate supply of moisture and plant food 
and bloom for several months of the year, 
The natural habitat of the genus is Cen- 
tral America, most of the species being 
natives of Mexico and California. The 
plants are of perennial herbaceous habit 
of growth, and during the growing season 
freely produce shoots that ‘bear spike. like 
bunches of long tubular flowers of varied 
and bright colors, The original species 
are rarely cultivated now, the hybrid 
varieties being ean superior in every 
“ * PENTSTEMON, 
way. A species “occasionally. seen in nur- 
_ sery and special herbaceous collections is 
P, azurea, the flowers of which, though 
small and few in. comparison with the 
best hybrids, are of a beautiful shade of 
blue. This color is absent in the garden 
varieties, and its introduction would add 
greatly to the value of the pentstemon. 
A number of new and improved varieties 
have been raised during the last few 
years. An Australian hybridist, Mr. G. 
H. Kerslake, of Sydney, has contributed 
several that are said to be a distinct 
advance on any that haye been imported. 
The tlowers are not difficult to cross: 
fertilise, and as the plants are easily 
raised from seeds and bloom early we 
may expect to see a greater advance in 
the near future. possibly—as has occurred 
with the chrysanthemum, dahlia, and 
other garden flowers—an Australian Hype 
of this plant. 
One of the principal factors in the value 
of the pentstemon as a plant suitable for 
general border culture is its extreme 
hardiness, the plants enduring a deal of 
drought and neglect. without perishing. 
The blooms are “produced freely during 
the hot summer months and with a little 
attention a good display is assured. ‘The 
pentstemon is not a popular plant with 
florists who grow flowers for sale. for 
although the flowers last well when on 
the plants and are freely produced they 
are not Jasting when cut in hot weather. 
Soin and CuLrore, 
Although the pentstemons will grow 
and thrive fairly in almost any garden 
soil they succeed best in a light loam that 
is well drained. The most common causes 
of failure are to plant them in wet sour 
soil, or within the excessive shade and 
soil. starying influences of large trees. 
“When planted in a fairly friable Soil that 
has been moderately manured they will 
resist conditions severe enough to destroy 
many other garden plants, In. very. dry 
cuttings, divisions and seeds. 
‘taken in autumn from the shoots that 
to their flowering quarters early in spring. 
February 1, 1908 
Telephone 350 
situations the plants generally grown in 
mixed borders will benefit largely by the 
addition of. to or three inches of stable 
manure spread over the surface of the 
bed as a mulch; under such conditiona 
the penstemon will thrive. Mulching 
should be applied while the soil is in a 
moist condition in spring. 
The pentstemon is propagated (rot 
Cuttings 
occur on the stems root readily in sandy 
soil in a cool frame ot sheltered situation. 
The young plants should be transferred 
Old plants mey be divided in autumn and 
replanted where they are to grow. Seeds 
should be sown in early autuinn or spring 
in light soil. They may be sown in boxes ; 
BEGONIA GRANDIFLORA ERECTA CRISTATA, 
ts. 6d. pkt. 
