The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-03-22

Two years Olu, WHICH gives one
much encouragement for getting
masses of this plant in a short time.
Some years ago, when | was in
Miami | saw an extremely attractive
specimen of the common, magenta
trained to one trunk, with a spread
ing top like a tree, and Mr. Reason
, er has many of these standard plants
ready for the trade. However, the
new varieties, Rose de Catalina,
Latetia" and Crimson Lake
are still so scarce that in order to
obtain one it will be necessary to
send in an order for what you want
and then wait until they are large
enough to be trusted to your tender
mercies | suppose i have tried half
a dozen plants, or more, of the va
riety 'H.atestia, which | have al
ways paid from $50 to S. a plant
| for but have always lost them, as
| | got them from northern houses,
where clay is used in the soil. If this
clay is not removed it is quite likely
to become SO hard and impenetrable
as chunk of cement, thereby kill
ing the plant, and if you remove
the clay the plant is likely to die
because it is very sentitive to a dis
turbance of it's roots. These plants
| that are grown in our own State
will not be subject to these two
risks, and will be much more likely
to live than the greenhouse plant of
the north
The Bougainvillea blooms several
times during the year, and because
of its habit of growth is quite com
| formable to training and pruning,
thus making it ideal for covering
periolas, trellisses and embankments
/ 1t is a plant that is not at all averse
to the full beams of tropical sun,
and it as checrfully blooms in shade,
but the new varieties will probably
doors, where full sunlight may lend
deeper tones to the coloring. Some
years back Mr. Reasoner found
Bougainvilea in the West Indies.
Jamaica, as remember it, of so deep
a royal purple that it seemed as if
this plant must stand alone in it's
unique coloring. Both the purple
and comon magenta tint are diff
cult to blend in with other masses
of coloring, and for that reason the
old Bougainvillea hasn't aroused the
admiration that you might expect
from a shrub that blooms so pro-
fusely, but it may be that the color
had much to do with its being plant
ed so sparingly.
However, with the new red types
this objection will not present it
self, and the more we see of these
lovely new strangers, the more love-
ly must Florida become. Fort
Myers has many specimens of the old
magenta -colored shrub, and where
these have been given support on tall
palmettoes, they make rather strik-
ing objects which would not be I'M
desirable if they were used in some
particular place where they fitted in
to their SURROUNDINGS, but as soli-
tary lawn pieces they haven't much
have large estates may find many
places where they will add much to
the color scheme of some river-bank,
terrace or hedge. Few of my read
ers ever see copy of Bailey's Cyclic
pedia of American Horticulture, from
which 1 will quote the following,
contributed by Theo. F. Beckert, and
from his experience with the hot
house product l believe we may ex-
pect that if the Bougainvillea is CIV
en- periods of rest after a vigorous
growing spell. when artificial stimu-
lation is vigorously used, we may
look for several blossoming periods
during the year, and by forcing a
dozen specimens, have a continuous
display of Bougainvillea blooms
every month in the year from some
of the several plants.
Mr.. Beckert says: There is much
confusion in species and varieties OF
Bougainvilleas in the trade. They
seem to vary considerably. B. spect-
abilis and its varieties seems to be
uncompromising Our experience
with thousands of plants of B. glabra
and var. Sunderland leads us to say
that we cannot think of any class
of plants so readily handled. They
are easily propagated, are not par
ticular as to soil or treatment; their
growth is strong and rapid; they can
be Powered with ease and certainty
and they are but little subject to
insect attacks. Their towering char.
acter is so persistent that a small
stock of plants will afford cutting
material for almost six months. The
! bloom bracts are extremely durable
They harmonic well with some OF
the popular orchids, also well with
, American Beauty roses. Entire head.