Page:The Amateur's Greenhouse and Conservatory.djvu/201

Rh flowering in the winter, and is invaluable for cutting for bouquets.

.&mdash;We can dip deeply into this beautiful genus, for all are more or less good, so far as regards the beauty of the flowers and neatness of foliage. But they have the bad quality of soon becoming smothered with the small white scale, and it is utterly impossible to keep them clean after they are once infested. The soil should be composed of loam and peat in equal quantities, with plenty of drainage. K. coccinea major, K. inophylla floribunda, K. monophylla, and its beautiful varieties, alba and rosea, K. rubicunda, one of the best for covering large spaces quicklyall are good, either for roof or walls. As most of those enumerated are tender rooted, due care must be paid to the watering at all times and seasons, more particularly through the winter. The Kennedyas will strike readily from cuttings in the hands of a skilful propagator, but the best plan for those who have not had much practice will be to sow seeds, which can be readily obtained of most species. The seeds should be soaked in water several hours before sowing.

.&mdash;L. rosea and L. alba are grand when well done. As the flowers droop beneath the foliage, they are just what we want for the roof. Nothing can surpass the beauty of their lovely pendent blossoms. The drainage should be first-rate, as it requires an abundant supply of water when growing. The soil should consist of good fibrous peat, mixed with a little loam and plenty of sand. The plants will receive an immense amount of benefit from a partial shade in hot weather.

.&mdash;M. suaveolens is fine for warm greenhouses, and moreover valuable for cutting. Its delicate white flowers being highly fragrant, are very popular for hand bouquets. Best for pillars and walls.

.&mdash;There are three pretty varieties that will suit any greenhouse, namely M. alba, M. Barclayana, and M. kermesina. They are extremely neat in growth and answer admirably for light trellises, balustrades, and baskets.

.&mdash;This is a really hardy genus of composite plants. The best are M. clematis and M. decurrens. The large orange