CAMPANULA PYRAMIDALIS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2030, 26 August 1880, Page 4

CAMPANULA PYRAMIDALIS.

jT?rom the “North American Agriculturist.”] This fine old biennial hardy bell-flower is ana of the finest plants for the summer decoration of the greenhouse or conservatory that can possibly be imagined. And being hardy —so hardy, indeed, as to be capable of being wintered out of doors without any protection (although when intended for greenhouse decoration it is better for the protection of a oold frame, but requires no more than that) ; it is peculiarly valuable to those who have limited glass accommodation, especially during the winter months. There are two varieties, characterised the one by white flowers, the other by blue flowers. Of the the two we have a preference for the white flowered one; there is such a purity and substance in the flowers, and the whole apappearance of the plant is more refined and attractive than the blue one. Bat as companions they are indispensable, and should be grown together, if for no other reason than the harmony of their united effect when placed side by side in full flower. A packet of seed usually contains a proportion of both colours, but the white is always the scarcest of the two. Although a biennial in habit, it often takes three and even four years to flower it; yet the largest proportion flowers in the second year after being sown. This appears too long a period to wait for even a good thing; but it should be remembered that it requires little trouble and cost to obtain it, and that when obtained it repays that little coat and trouble very handsomely. It should be sown in pots or pans, in a oold frame. As the seeds are very small they must be covered but lightly—a little sandy aoil scattered lightly over them till they disappear )r;m view, and no more than enough to effect this is all the covering they should have. Keep them moist and shaded from continued ond direct sunlight till they germinate, and then gradually innure them to more light and air, and rather less moisture than they require in the first stage, but never allow them to become so dry as to suffer any chock. The plants, as soon as they are large enough to be easily handled by light fingers, should be pricked off into small pots. They will require to be kept close for about a week after this change, and to bo shaded from the sun for the same period. The most troublesome part or their culture may now be considered over, as the operations of the future will simply consist of attending to keeping them well supplied with water, and chitting them into larger pots, as their progress in growth msy demand. The soil in which they should be potted can hardly be made too rich. Loam of a good, heavy sort should form three parts, and the remaining part should be composed of equal parts of partially decomposed horse droppings and leaf mould, and a good liberal dusting of bone meal should be added to the whole mass, along with enough sharp -sand to render the whole friable and open. Incorporate all together thoroughly by recanted turnings over. Good drainage should be provided in the pots ; indeed this is a point of the first importance, for although the plant requires a very supply of water during the growing season, it will at no time, but ©specially when dormant, bear with impunity anything like stagnation at the soots. After the pots become filled with roots, let the plants be kept up in health and vigour with frequent supplies of liquid manure. This is especially important to the plants after they have been put in their •lowering pots, which should not be till they ohow some sign of their determination towards 1 flowering by elongating their main stem. As soon ess this is observed let them be put in their flowering pots, which may be eight, or nine, or more inches in diameter, according to the sizes of pots they may have been growing in prior to being patted. All this, ao doubt, seems very much like troublesome work and high culture, and so, no doubt, it is ; but we advise on the principle of doing, whatever is worth doing, well. There is no attaining to the bast results in anything, not oven in the culture of so simple a plant as this is in regard to its cultural wants, without some reasonably wise and practical means ond efforts being employed to effect them. But there are less troublesome ways than that

above described, and good results may be attained by them too. The next best proceed, if labour and close attention cannot be devoted to them, ie to prick the seedlings out in a cold frame instead of into pote,_ in light, rich soil, giving them the same shading and other points of treatment as the potted plants require till they are established ; after which they should be treated exactly as if they were in the open ground till the approach of winter, with its rain and frost, which, simply in order to prevent the plants from being even slightly impaired in their vigour, should bo excluded from them by means 01 glass and mats or straw, or, if glass cannot be given them, let any more economical or handy covering bo made use of. From these quarters the plants may be lifted into pots as soon as they show any disposition to_ run for flowering. They must be lifted with great care, as they may be seriously checked otherwise. After potting thorn let them be placed in a cold frame, or, failing that, in some spot where they will not bo exposed very directly to the sun, and where they will enjoy the benefit of complete shelter from wind.