Libonia.—The beautiful L. floribunda is valued for its winter flowers, which may be likened to those of Cuphea platycentra. It can only be turned to account, however, where there is convenience for keeping it warm in the winter, and those who have only a cool house may as well do without it, for it will simply worry them. It is very easy to propagate and grow. Cuttings of the young wood should be inserted early in the spring, and treated in the same way as the ordinary kinds of soft-wooded plants, the pot being plunged in a nice bottom- heat. The plant being very compact and short-jointed, does not need after it is potted to be frequently stopped; the great thing is to get the lower part of the plant well furnished with branches in its first growth. It is in the earlier stages only that the stopping of shoots is essential. It will thrive in good rich loamy soil, and may stand out of doors with the majority of greenhouse plants during the summer months. In common with many other winter flowering plants the Libonia loses its leaves if kept too cold in October and November. The leaves may not fall at the time, but afterwards, when the plant is in flower, it will be found that many of the leaves are dead. Excess of damp or too low a temperature in winter will very much mar the beauty of this useful plant.
Petunia.—For summer flowers the Petunia is invaluable, as it will flower freely if badly treated, but if skilfully handled may be developed into a sumptuous specimen-plant. The single and double varieties have equal claims on our attention, but the last named are the most popular, the flowers being perfect rosettes, rich and various in colour, and deliciously scented. For hanging-baskets and vases the single varieties are to be preferred, and for exhibition purposes the double varieties are certainly the best, especially when trained to a neat pyramidal outline, dense, dwarf, leafy to the bottom and richly covered with their lovely flowers.
Petunias may be handled in the same way as fuchsias; they must have a generous soil, a kindly temperature during their earlier stages, and at all times the foliage must be kept perfectly clean. To get up a stock of fine specimens place a few old plants in a temperature of 60° in February, and as soon as the young shoots are sufficiently advanced, take them off, and strike in the usual way. If old plants are not at command the cuttings in the store pots may be put in warmth, and when
