GARDEN FLOWERS. 201 



Struck in slight bottom-heat, under a bell-glass, and grown 

 in the stove at once. This will give a change of season, as 

 well as a difference in growth ; but all will be fine. The 

 plants may be grown into good-sized bushes by shifting 

 every season into large pots or tubs, which may be wintered 

 in a cold house free from frost. When growing as an out- 

 door shrub, the Hydrangea must be protected in some way, 

 either by matting, or covering with litter ; otherwise the points 

 of the shoots will be killed, and with them the incipient 

 bloom-buds. It is, indeed, sometimes, in severe winters, 

 killed down close to the ground ; but it will spring up from 

 the roots, and grow vigorously to make up for its lost wood. 

 It should have a moist sheltered situation. The potted 

 plants struck in July should be bloomed in the greenhouse ; 

 but any of them may be turned out into the borders in May. 

 The Hydrangea, like many other plants, blooms finer when 

 young than when it has grown three or four years ; for 

 though the plant is larger, and has more heads of flowers, 

 the heads and the individual flow^ers also are smaller. The 

 plant forces well, and is one of the prettiest forced flowers 

 in spring. The II. JapoJiica is very distinct, and, though it 

 does not bloom in such large heads as the other, its appear- 

 ance is more picturesque, especially when grown as a bush. 

 H. hortensis is not hardy in the Northern States. 



H. Belzonii (Belzoni's) ; half-hardy shrub ; 3 feet ; flowers 

 white and blue, in July; Japan; 1848. //. hortensis (garden); 

 half-hardy shrub; 3 feet; flowers pink, in July; China; 1740. 

 H. Japonica Qapan) ; half-hardy shrub ; 3 feet ; flowers white 

 and blue, in July ; Japan ; 1843. i¥^ «zV^^ (snow-white-leaved) ; 

 hardy shrub ; 4 feet ; flowers white, in August ; Carolina ; 1786. 



Hydrastis. [Ranunculaceae.] A hardy herbaceous pe- 

 rennial, not very sho\vy. Increased by division of the root. 

 Soil, moist peaty loam. 



