194 GARDEN FLOWERS. 



is required. Soil, deep rich loam. Increased abundantly 

 by seeds. H. giganteum and Persicum are some of the best 

 for these purposes. 



Hesperis. Rocket. [Cruciferae.] A genus of hardy 

 plants, annual, biennial, and perennial. Some of the vari- 

 eties of the common Rocket ( H, matronalis )^ especially the 

 double white and double purple, are very great favorites in 

 the flower-gardens. They are rather difficult to manage, es- 

 pecially in old gardens or in confined situations ; for they 

 love fresh soil and an open situation. A light rich loam is 

 the best for them ; but if an artificial compost has to be 

 made up, as it should be if they are required in perfection, 

 a third part of sandy peat mixed with two-thirds of mellow 

 loam will grow them very well. Next to soil, the great se- 

 cret of success is, not to let them stand too long in a place, 

 for under such circumstances they are sure to dwindle. They 

 ought to be taken up and divided every second year, joon 

 after they have done flowering, — that is, early in autumn, — 

 and replanted in fresh soil. To have a display of heairhy 

 plants every year, they should be divided into two sets : 

 those plants respectively which have bloomed in their sec- 

 ond year, if taken up in each successive autumn and di- 

 vided, will furnish a constant supply of young plants, the 

 flowering of which should be prevented in the following 

 summer, and they will then bloom vigorously in the second 

 /ear from their transplantation. One reason why this con- 

 •.tant transplantation is necessary is, that the plant, in its 

 >"iginal state, is naturally a biennial, perishing after it has 

 prod/ T \ fl(?''3rs. The other species, most of which are 

 also uiennialb, are -mimport-^nt compared with the varieties 

 above alluded to. 



H. grandifiora (large-fiowercd) ; hardy biennial ; 3 feet ; flow- 

 ers whice and purple, in July ; r.Ative country not known; 1820. 



