Venus de Medicis. Tube white, sepals blush white, corolla deep blue; fine habit.

Etoile du Nord. Bright scarlet sepals and tube; corolla black violet. with short, reflexed sepals.

Souvenir de Chiswick. Tube and sepals rosy, crimson, violet; corolla fine.

Ajax. A fine, dark variety.

Empress Eugenie. Crimson sepals, white corolla.

England's Glory. Fine white; scarlet corolla.

Globosa. Scarlet; purple corolla.

Glory. Crimson; violet corolla.

Lady of the Lake. Crimson blush; white corolla.

Mrs. Story. Scarlet sepals; white corolla.

Wonderful. Scarlet tube and sepals; violet corolla.

Queen Victoria, La Crinoline, Omar Pasha, Nil Desperandum, Duchess of Lancaster, Climax, Guiding Star, Rose of Castile, Roi des Blancs, Prince Frederic William, are all fine varieties.

They speak of Hope to the fainting heart;
With a voice of promise they come and part.

They sleep in dust through the winter hours;

They break forth in glory! Bring flowers, bright flowers.

CHAPTER V.

PLANTS FOR WINDOW GARDENING, CONTINUED.

MYRTLE: History. Soil. Culture. Varieties. ACHENIA: Ease of THUNBERgrowing. Soil. ABUTILON: Culture. Soil. - Varieties.

GIA: Sowing.-Training. - Insects. Soil. Varieties. ALOYSIA, Or LEMON VERBENA: Culture. - Soil.-Watering. CALLA: Resting.Blooming. Soil. CUPHEA: Culture. - Potting. Soil. CACTUS: Divisions of the Family. Cereus: Summer Treatment. - Pruning. - Wa

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tering. Varieties of Cereus. - Epiphyllum: Soil. - Varieties. HYDRANGEA: Culture. - Soil. Effect of Iron. AGAPANTHUS: Soil.- Wintering. Watering. Varieties. OLEANDER: Flowering. Soil. - Varieties. PITTOSPORUM: Varieties. Soil. JASMINE: Soil.-Culture

After Culture. Soil. PRIMULA: Sowing.. SOLANUM: A Parlor Ornament.

Water.- Varieties. CALCEOLARIA: Sowing. MAHERNIA: Description. Soil. Varieties. Treatment. - Soil. — Description. Culture. Soil. LAURESTINUS: Description. Washing. HOYA: Description. - Flowering. -Watering. CHRYSANTHEMUMS : Culture. -Watering. Soil. Varieties. BEGONIA: Varieties. Situation.. Watering. Soil.

THE MYRTLE.

YRTLES are natives of Europe, New Holland, and China. They are hardwooded, evergreen shrubs, possessing a peculiar, agreeable fragrance, and have always been favorites for parlor culture.

The soil should be three parts loam, with one part of sand and one of leaf mould.

They do not require very large pots, and flourish well in

almost any situation.

They require moderate washing, and watering, and plenty of light and air during the growing season, which is in summer, when they should be put out of doors in a shady place,

M. com

yet not under the drip of trees. The flowers are usually white, and produced in profusion in midsummer. munis is the common plant of our parlors, of which there are many varieties, with small and large leaves, variegated foliage, and flowers single or double.

M. tenuifolia is a New Holland species; a fine plant for parlor culture.

M. tomentosa is a fine Chinese species, with purple flowers changing to white, so that flowers of many shades are seen at once on the same plant. It should be more generally grown, being equally hardy, except it is impatient of exposure to the hot sun.

ACHENIA.

A. malvaviscus is a beautiful parlor plant, symmetrical in growth, and producing its brilliant, scarlet flowers in profusion at the end of every branch. These flowers are succeeded by white berries, changing to bright red, which alone would make the plant ornamental did it not always display a profusion of bloom.

The best way to grow the plant is as a pyramid, as thus the flowers and fruit show to great advantage. Give plenty of sun and light, turning the plant frequently. It is not

subject to the attacks of insects. Soil, two parts loam, two leaf mould, with a slight admixture of sand.

ABUTILON.

This is a race of shrubby, green-house plants, well adapted for the parlor.

They are free growers, of upright habit, and unless judiciously pruned, will soon outgrow their quarters.

are natives of South America and New Holland.

They

The proper soil is, two parts loam, two of leaf mould, and one of sand. If the soil is too rich, the growth will be too rapid for the full development of the side branches. Keep the plant moderately moist. The varieties for parlor culture are,

A. venosum, with large yellow flowers with red veins; A. Bedfordianum, flowers much of the same character.

A. striatum, one of our prettiest window plants; always in bloom, and beautiful from its profusion of pendulous, veined, red and yellow blossoms all winter.

There are many other varieties, some with white, others with red flowers, but they are not recommended for house plants. The variegated-leaved kinds lose their coloring under window culture.