I find this charming plant, when used for bedding purposes, subject to many complaints, which, from my own experience, I think are quite undeserved. The Iresine, in some situations, is said to be deficient in colouring, and especially to be wanting in freedom of growth. A narrow border here last season put its merits fully to the test ; and after two seasons' trial, I think it is justly entitled to a prominent place as a bedding-plant. This border was quite a treat of itself, and I believe a description of it may not be out of place. Beginning with the front line, which was of Arabis lucida variegata, we next had a line of Blue Lobelia, then Golden Feather Pyrethrum; the next was Iresine and variegated Veronica Andersonii, the back line of Mrs Pollock and Silver Chain Pelargoniums alternated. But the Veronica might very well have been dispensed with, as it was scarcely ever seen amongst the Iresine, which was a perfect mass of splendid colour, and every plant nearly 2 feet through. Situated as the flower-garden is here, lying close to the base of the Cheviots, and exposed to every wind that blows, the north excepted, the result was beyond all expectation, and gave sufficient proof of its adaptability for bedding.

The season of 1868, however, was not so satisfactory; but that was an exceptional season, and the unusual drought easily accounts for its not doing so well. The Iresine, however, I consider one of the most useful and ornamental plants we have for the flower-garden, as it gives us a colour we should otherwise be without; and now when foliage plants have almost superseded flowering kinds, I should not like to be without it, and more especially when it is so easy of propagation that it can be got up by the thousand in a short time. The system we have in propagating is to place the cuttings in pans of sand and water, striking by sun-heat, with the aid of a slight bottom-heat. The best plan is to have a few old stock plants, as I have found it almost useless to make cuttings of it in autumn, as it is but a slight chance that they will strike, and even then will not make so good plants as those got up from spring cuttings. After striking, which will only take a few days, pot them off into boxes, with plenty of half-decayed leaves in the bottom; if then they can be placed in heat for a short time, so much the better. The leaves I consider to be essential to success, for the Iresine has a natural liking to leaf-soil, and will thrive better in pure half-rotten leaves than in any other soil whatever.

If time can be spared at the season of planting, it will amply repay to dig up the ground the Iresine is intended to occupy, for the purpose of incorporating a liberal allowance of leaf-soil, for by giving it the food it seems to enjoy, the influence of the atmosphere in regard to its colouring may be partly overcome. At least, let no one despair, because it is too good a plant to be rashly cast aside as useless for outdoor decoration; and I trust that, in making these few remarks, they may prove to be of service to those who may not have been quite so successful with it. R S.