44 THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



thoroughly hardy shrub, native of Yirginia, introduced in 1736. This 

 has white flowers ; there is a variety of it called discolor, white and green, 

 but of no peculiar value, the normal form is the best. II. cordata, with 

 white flowers, is another useful hardy species from America. H. hetero- 

 malla, from Nepaul, has white flowers, and forms a fine bush ; U. liortensis 

 is the well-known garden hydrangea, respecting which alone avc shall 

 speak in detail presently, II. nivea and nivea glabella from Carolina, are 

 fine hardy shrubs, with viburnum -like flower-heads. II. quercifolium, the 

 oak-leaved hydrangea from Florida, is nearly hardy in this country, and 

 with some shelter in the winter may be planted out and treated as the rest. 

 Among the greenhouse species, H. Thunlergii claims pre-eminence 

 as the only one which is turned to any useful purpose. From the leaves 

 of this the Japanese prepare a tea which is in the highest esteem, and is 

 called Ama-tsja, or " tea of heaven." H. Belzonil, from Japan, is 

 described as producing blue flowers ; they are in reality bluish blush. 

 H. Japonica is also described as blue, and here we find the small central 

 flowers to be of a pale pink, tinged with blue, and the expanded flowers 

 on the outside of the cymes pure white, with a pinkish centre. II. 

 Japonica cerulea approaches more nearly to a blue colour. H. stellata, 

 pink, is interesting, and as easily managed as the rest. These are all that 

 are worth naming, though we might add a few trivial varieties, which, 

 during the last twenty j^ears have had names and characters given them, 

 but have never attained to a creditable position. There are, in fact, but two 

 species commonly cultivated, H. liortensis, the well-known nearly hardy 

 plant, the most truly ornamental of all, and H. Japonica, which is both 

 beautiful and curious, and well worth a place in every greenhouse. 



CiTLTTTRE. — We will first explain our own mode of procedure, which is 

 very simple and successful ; by it we have handsome plants, with huge 

 heads of bloom from the beginning quite to the close of the summer 

 season, and these we group as pot plants about the walks, near garden- 

 seats, and to decorate approaches. In May a number of cuttings are 

 taken from the lov.'er parts of the stems of strong plants. We prefer 

 young shoots with four or five joints, not more than five, and perhaps 

 preferable with only three. The strongest wood may be used, and will be 

 sure to root, but small young cuttings make the best plants. The cuttings 

 have the two lowest leaves removed, and are potted singly in thumb pots 

 in a mixture of leaf-mould and peat, with a very little sand. These are 

 all placed on a moist bottom-heat of not more than 60^ either over a 

 propagating tank, in a frame over a dung-bed, or in a propagating case. 

 They require to be kept moderately moist, and will bear to be closely 

 confined until they form roots. Never having seen a case of damping-oft", 

 though we have struck thousands of cuttings, and in various ways, it 

 does not seem needful to warn the cultivator on this head. However, let 

 air be given moderately after the lapse of a week, and thenceforward 

 increase the supply, so that by the time the pots are filled with roots, the 

 plants will be hard and thrifty. When propagated on a large scale they 

 may be dibbled into wet sand, placed over a tank or dung-bed, but we 

 prefer to pot Ihem singly at first, as it is a decided gain in the end. When 

 the thumb-pots are full of roots shift to GO -sized pots, using a compost of 

 peat, leaf, and loam from rotted turves, equal parts of each, keep them in 

 the greenhouse, or warm pit, water frequently overhead, and at the root; 

 give plenty of air, and keep the plants near the glass. When these pots 



