This beautiful class of plants is not nearly so largely cultivated as their merits deserve. Not only do they have beautiful flowers, but a good many of them have very handsome foliage, making them well worthy of culture for this alone.

This class of plants is easily cultivated, and insects do not bother them very much. As they make their growth during summer, there is generally plenty of room in the greenhouse to allow them to fully develop their beauty; for, like everything else, if neglected and crowded too much they do not make very attractive specimens.

About April, take the roots out of the pots in which they have been resting during winter; repot in other pots, using good fibrous peat and well-rotted cow manure, say four parts of peat to one of manure; add to this plenty of sand, for as water during this season of growth has to be abundantly supplied, it is necessary that it pass freely through the soil. Perfect drainage is also needed, even when grown in small pots.

As the pots get full of roots, weak liquid manure should be applied to maintain their vigor until their flowers are produced. By allowing them to get into a starving condition, the flowers produced are generally weak and poorly colored. After the flowering is past, care should be taken not to dry the roots too soon, as upon the thorough maturing of the tubers depends the following season's growth and blossoms.

While they require an abundance of water at the roots and a moist atmosphere, they should at no time be syringed overhead. Not only is this applicable to this class of plants, but Gloxineas, Ty-deas and Plectropomas cannot endure water on their foliage, while all, during the time they are making their growth, require abundance of it at the roots.

The finest varieties having beautiful foliage are G. zebrina, with its velvety leaves beautifully marbled, the flowers an orange scarlet. G. Exoniensis. - This beautiful variety has dark, velvety leaves of fine habit, flowers scarlet, a yellow throat. G. Cinnabarina. - The flowers of this variety are a bright red with light throat. The foliage is remarkably handsome; the bright-colored hairs on the velvety green give it an attractive appearance.

Youngstown, Ohio.