186 BRECK'S BOOK OF FLOWERS. 



should be saved from double flowering plants only ; all single 

 flowering ones should be destroyed as soon as they appear. 

 Most plants raised in a hot-bed do better to transplant into 

 small pots, and shift to larger as they increase in size. Bal- 

 sams thus treated, sown the first of April, will begin to flower 

 the last of May, and may be turned into the ground in June, 

 without checking their growth in the least. If the soil is rich 

 and a little moist, or supplied with moisture, the plants will 

 attain a monstrous size, and be completely covered with a pro- 

 fusion of flowers all the season. All the full double varieties 

 are beautiful ; the colors are crimson, scarlet, light and dark 

 purple, rose, blush, white, &c.; some produce white and red or 

 purple flowers on the same plant ; others are variegated, or 

 spotted with various shades of red and purple, which are 

 decidedly the most elegant. The seed should be sown in the 

 open ground about the middle of May ; they will then flower 

 -"cry well for two months of the season. 



IPOMEA. 



The greater part of this genus are handsome climbing 

 plants. 



Ipomea quamoclit. Cypress Vine. There is no annual 

 climbing plant that exceeds the Cypress Vine, in elegance of 

 foliage, gracefulness of habit, or loveliness of flowers. 



The only difficulty in its successful cultivation, in our climate, 

 is the shortness of our seasons. It requires heat to bring it to 

 perfection, and will not give general satisfaction, unless the 

 plants are brought forward in the hot-bed. 



If it is planted in the open ground, it will not be of any ad- 

 vantage to sow the seed before the last of May, as it will not 

 grow till the ground is warm. Previous to sowing, the seed 

 should have boiling water poured over it, which should remain 

 until the water is nearly cold. If sown in a warm place, the 

 plants will appear above ground in a few days. The plants are 

 difficult to transplant, therefore the seeds should be sown where 



