346 On the Cultivation of the Balsam. 



furrowed basin, surrounded with some small projections; 

 segments of the calyx rather short and rounded : Fleshy yel- 

 lowish white, coarse, melting, and juicy : Flavor, rich, brisk, 

 sugary and excellent : Core, large : Seeds, large, dark brown. 

 Ripe in September, and keeps into October. 



Art. II. On the Cultivation of the Balsam. 



L\ the climate of England, where the temperature is too 

 low to grow the balsam in the open ground, in perfection, it 

 is extensively cultivated in pots ; and there are but few gar- 

 dens which do not contain quite a number of plants, either 

 for the decoration of the conservatory or the greenhouse. 

 Properly managed, they form very splendid objects, often 

 attaining the height of three feet and eight or ten feet in cir- 

 cumference, their numerous stems being clothed with flowers 

 the whole length. 



In our warm and sunny clime, there is no necessity of 

 resorting to the cultivation of the balsam, in pots, to have 

 them in great splendor. But where there are conservatories 

 or greenhouses of some extent, or when it is desirable to 

 have some striking ornament for the veranda, the balsam, 

 well grown, comes in among the showiest of plants adapted 

 to that object. With the coxcomb, it keeps up the succession 

 of bloom until autumn. 



But to bloom the balsam in fine condition requires no 

 little skill and attention ; it is, therefore, with pleasure that 

 we copy the following excellent directions, from the London 

 Horticultural Magazine, for accomplishing this object. It 

 is now too late to have the finest specimens, but if plants 

 six inches high are immediately taken up and potted, they 

 will make excellent specimens by September. 



Very few persons cultivate this plant with good taste, and 

 too many go to work as if the only object were size. ■ Hence 

 we find, that, in exhibitions where these plants figure, they 

 are very large, the flowers distant, great part of the stem 



