Page:The Amateur's Greenhouse and Conservatory.djvu/229

Rh be pruned, but they should be cut back to where the wood is firm, and a certain uniformity preserved. Fibrous loam, mixed with a good proportion of leaf-mould and sand and a liberal sprinkling of broken crocks, forms the most suitable compost.

.&mdash;These are of small importance, yet two sorts at least ought to be grown, and these should be K. repens and K. tomentosa. The first has leaves of a light metallic blue colour.

.&mdash;The beautiful silvery-leaved P. bracteosum has now become so well known that it is scarcely necessary to say that its distinct character and unique appearance render it well entitled to a place in the most limited collection. P. lingua is very similar in growth to the preceding, but the leaves are dark green instead of white. Large specimens of bracteosum are valuable for associating with Echeveria metallica in the flower garden, as well as in pots in the greenhouse or conservatory.

.&mdash;The beautiful R. falcata ought to be grown extensively for conservatory decoration during the autumn, instead of being grown merely as a curiosity. Even where soft-wooded plants generally are cultivated, a dozen or so of this Rochea should find a place as much for the showy appearance of the flowers as for the distinct and somewhat singular character of the plants. The Rocheas grow freely in the soil advised for the Echeverias, and are increased by means of the side-shoots formed at the base.

.&mdash;A large number of the hardy dwarf-growing species are well worthy of a place under glass, the best and most distinct being S. glaucum, S. multiceps, S. pulchellum, S. atro-purureum, S. sempervivoides, S. kamtschaticum, and S. hispanicum. The above should all be grown in rather deep pans, filled with a light and gritty compost. The soil should be raised about three inches higher in the centre than at the sides, which can be easily accomplished by fixing a few pieces of stone in the middle of the pans, and then dibbling in the young shoots over the entire surface.

Sedum Sieboldi and S. spectabile (syn. Fabarium) and their variegated varieties require a distinct system of management from the preceding, and are most valuable for conservatory decoration in the autumn. The first makes a capital basket