i)54 APPENDIX. 



the flower-stem, or from suckers. But, as it requires much care 

 and skill to keep them, and as the seed from the fine improved 

 sorts produces flowers similar to the parent, the easiest way to 

 keep up a stock is to sow the seeds every year, carefully noting 

 them as they come into flower, destroying all inferior and single 

 varieties. Referring to pages 88 and 89, the reader will per- 

 ceive that I have given the names of twenty beautiful varieties. 

 Probably these varieties are all extinct now ; at any rate, they 

 are not to be obtained in this country ; nor can any varieties be 

 named one year, with certainty that they can be furnished two 

 years after. 



From seeds alone, then, florists can be sure of having a con- 

 stant stock of this very ornamental shrubbery-flower. 



LOBELIA. 



Lobelia cardinalis var. rosea. This beautiful variety of the 

 Cardinal flower was found in the neighborhood of Tewksbury, in 

 tjjis state. The flowers differ from the Cardinalis only in color; 

 instead of being a brilliant scarlet, they are a fine rose color, 

 striped or shaded with scarlet ; the cultivation of course the 

 same. There is no flower that improves so much by cultivation 

 as the Cardinal flower. If a moist location -is found in the gar- 

 den, made light by the application of sand, and enriched by 

 strong manure, this superb plant will repay all the trouble ; or, 

 without any extra care, in common garden soil it will do well. 



MATHIOLA OR STOCK. 



Mathiola incana, annua, fyc. Stock Gillyflower. This 

 old-fashioned standard garden-flower has been very much im- 

 proved in all the sections of its interesting family. 



M. incana is found in two divisions ; one with hoary, and one 

 with smooth leaves, and these with flowers of every shade, from 

 straw color to pure white and crimson, and crimson, violet, and 

 purple. This is the Broinpton, or biennial stock, and flowers in the 

 winter or spring, after sowing the seed, If the seed is of good 



