SUN-I'LOWliR 345 



saved from the? largest and most double flower?, 

 -which will be found on the top of the principal 

 stem, those on the side branches being smaller, and 

 frequently having abortive seeds. When the seeds 

 are ripe, the heads should be cut off with a part of 

 the stem, and hung up in a dry airy place for a 

 few weeks, when they may be rubbed out and put 

 into bags or boxes until the time of sowing, which 

 is durinc: the month of March. 



The seed should be sown on a bed of common 

 earth, and when the plants are about six inches 

 high they may be removed, with a ball of earth to 

 their roots, and planted where they are to flower ; 

 but we prefer setting the seeds where they are to 

 remain, as the plants are generally finer than thos2 

 that have been removed. 



This showy flower is a general favourite with 

 rustic gardeners, which is thus noticed by Clare 

 in his '' Village Minstrel:" — 



And Sun-flower planting for their gilded show, 

 That scale the window's lattice ere they blow ; 

 Then, sweet to habitants within the sheds, 

 Peep through the diamond panes their golden heads. 



The Perennial Sun-flower, Helianthus Multl- 

 forus, is a native plant of Virginia, and is of long 

 standing in our gardens, since it is both described 

 and figured in Gerard's Herbal, who observes that 

 lie had never seen the seed. The Perennial S un- 

 ci o 



