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The Browallia

Browallia elata.

Do not little things posses a special value of their own, as great or even exceeding the value of larger things? Pearls, rubies, emeralds, diamonds, and forget-me-nots, for instance, which are certainly small as compared with cabbages, cauli-flowers, and pumpkins. And having mentioned forget-me-nots, we are tempted to speak of this Browallia as the American, or more properly, perhaps, the Occidental forget-me-not, for it comes from the tropical parts of the western continent, which nobody ever thinks of when America is mentioned, the northern parts thereof having a monopoly of our attention. There is another and nearly allied species called B. demissa, but it is not much grown, for the simple reason that it is not so good a plant as elata, of which there are two varieties--the blue, which is here figured, and the white, which differs only in the colour of the flowers.

To grow this pretty annual it is necessary to sow the seed in light, rich soil in the month of March, and put the pan containing the seeds on a mild hotbed or in a warm greenhouse. When the plants are somewhat forward they should be pricked out into pans or pots, and have another term of culture in a warm house, and having been hardened by careful exposure to the air, be planted out where they are to flower. The rough treatment that suits some half-hardy annuals will simply fail to produce a fair bloom of this pretty plant, for it requires a long season of growth before flowering, and is decidedly tender in constitution. When well grown, however, it is replete with refined beauty, owing to the profusion and delicacy of its tiny slaty-blue flowers, and so we recommend the diligent amateur who can care for little things to grow a few nice specimens in pots. Having raised the plants on a moderate hotbed, prick them out to strengthen as already advised, and instead of planting them out to flower, put them in eight-inch pots, about four plants to a pot, using rich, light soil, and grow them on in the greenhouse, training them up with care, and keeping them near the glass and well ventilated. The elegant Schizanthus pinnatus, S. porrigens, S. Grahami, and S. retusus are closely allied to the Browallia, and may be grown in the same way, but are less in need of heat, as they are hardier. At all events, the two first-named are hardy enough to be sown on the open border, but are good enough to repay the trouble of growing them well in pots, for they make most charming specimens; and the better if sown in autumn, so as to have a long season of growth before flowering.