P. fragrans. Small round grey leaves strongly scented nutmeg. Small white fls. $1.00. 
When you compare above prices with the prices in other catalogs, please note that 
our prices include the postage. You only need to send price of plants and for Insurance 
or Special Delivery if wanted. All the catalogs that we have require you to send an 
additional amount for postage that makes them cost as much or more than ours. Besides, 
we guarantee safe delivery in a living condition. 
THE GESNERIA FAMILY — Gesnertaceae 
Includes Gloxinia, Smithiantha, Isoloma, LEpiscia, Streptocarpus, Achimenes, 
Aeschynanthes, and ending here with Saintpaulia or African Violet. Many of these 
have received other names by botanists. We use the valid names approved by Gentes 
Herbarum but in order that you do not order plants that you already have we try to 
give the synonyms. 
Culture of The Gesneriaceae. This is one of the most distinguished plant families. 
The Gesneriads listed here are all tropical. They are natives from Mexico to Brazil in 
America or from the equator to the Cape in Africa. Most of them are warm house plants. 
The culture requirements are so similar that we can generalize on most points. Any 
exceptions will be noted with the listings. They may be either tuberous rooted and 
deciduous or fibrous rooted and evergreen. 
Storage of Tubers. Tubers may be left in the pots or baskets when dormant, but 
dry and warm, or they may be dug, dried and stored in vermiculite. Smithianthas 
multiply rapidly and should be divided as crowding them gives unsatisfactory results. 
Achimenes are rapid multipliers but may be crowded more and we sometimes leave 
them in the same basket or pot. Large tubers like Gloxinias and Corytholoma should be 
shifted to larger pots usually. Most tubers may be dried off soon after flowering. Best 
storage temperature is about 50°. 
Fibrous Rooted Gesneriads, Streptocarpus, Aeschynanthes, Episcia, Columnea, etc. 
are evergreen and must be kept growing all year. 
Basket Culture is our method for Achimenes and fibrous rooted Gesneriads that 
vine. Many good growers prefer pots. Some grow in boxes or tin cans. Line baskets with 
a compressed layer of wet sphagnum. The compost for the center may be any combi- 
nation of coarse fibrous peat, sphagnum and leaf mould. Well divided osmundine may 
be added to make it coarser, if too fine. Peat must be wet in advance as it is difficult 
to wet it thruout in a basket. The compost should be coarse enough to allow water to 
drain freely and to prevent its retention in a dense sodden: mass, which prevents entrance 
of air. Plants breathe. All parts need air. But do not allow compost to become dry 
between waterings. Keep it moist not soggy. 
For plants that vine like Aeschynanthes or Columnea, we usually add enough 
sand to make the compost feel gritty. 
Pot culture is much the better for Gloxinias, Smithiantha, Corytholoma cardinalis 
(but not C. umbellata) and those having sturdy upright stems. We have had_ best 
results with Isoloma in pots, altho the long stems of most sorts will trail over the sides. 
It may be our basket culture was faulty. For pots we use a similar compost with sand, 
enough to make it gritty in texture and rather more than we would use in a basket. 
We have seen very good Gloxinias grown in coarse sand with little compost or soil, 
but we would not venture it. There must be plenty of drainage material in bottom of 
pot. See potting directions under, “General Culture.” When a plant becomes too large 
for its pot—shift to one size larger. 
Fertilizing. See General Culture. We do not add fertilizer to soils or composts 
usually, but bone meal is good and it does not burn. A little powdered dairy or sheep 
manure is often used. We prefer to add pinches to surface when growing well—if we 
use at all. We prefer liquid fertilizers when in growth. We never use inorganic, 
chemical fertilizers, for anything, anywhere. 
Light Exposure. Most gesneriads are shade plants, but they do need much light 
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