much larger, and the plant, according to the information com- 

 municated by Mr. Parks, occasionally sports in the gardens of 

 Canton producing perfectly white flowers. The leaves are 

 small, reflexed, of a grayish green, and rather deeply divided ; 

 the lobes narrow and very slightly serrated with pointed ser- 

 ratures. 



This specimen is one of the many interesting plants in- 

 trodiiced by the Horticultural Society from China. It was 

 brought into this country by Mr. Parks in 182i. Scarcely any 

 other tribe of herbaceous plants possesses greater attractions 

 than this, not merely for its more extended and interesting 

 variety of colours, but for its productions of flowers at a sea- 

 son when nearly all the brilliant attractions of the vegetable 

 world are retiring either into total oblivion or else to a state 

 of dormancy. When the beauties of the flower-garden begin 

 to decay, and the brown autumnal tints succeed tlie lively co- 

 lours of Spring and Summer, 



*' When o'er the cultivated lawns and dreary wastes 

 Retiring Autumn flings her howling blasts, 

 Bends in tumultuous waves the struggling woods, 

 And showers their leafy honours on the floods," — 



then will appear this tribe of plants arrayed in all the splen- 

 dour which the most diversified and interesting colours can 

 convey. When the weather is mild, they continue in great 

 perfection from October to the end of November ; and when 

 protected by means of glass, they are truly ornamental, and 

 will adorn the green-house until after Christmas, 



" And instant Winter's utmost rage defy." 



The many beautiful varieties of this tribe which have been 

 lately introduced, and the facility with which they are in- 

 creased, have contributed to bring these plants so much into 

 notice. They may be raised by cuttings of young shoots 

 taken off about the end of May or the beginning of June : 

 these may be placed separately in small pots under a hand- 

 glass in a shaded situation ; as they become rooted and re- 

 moved to larger pots, they require a rich mellow earth, when 

 if the more luxuriant shoots be topped at their extremity, they 

 will branch out and form very handsome bushy plants, and 

 will flower extremely well in the pots. When planted in the 

 open border or against a wall, they generally attain tlie height 

 of from three to five feet. 



The specimen for this drawing was kindly furnished from 

 the splendid collection of this tribe of plants cultivated in the 

 gardens of the Horticultural Society at Chiswick. 



