124 FLOWERS AND THE FLOWER GARDEN, 



growth we have the Sunflower, one new variety of which, 

 Plellanthus macropliyllus giganteus, is mentioned as grow- 

 ing twenty feet high. The sunflower plants will be the 

 finer if they be grown in a slight hot-bed and planted 

 out. The perennial sunflower is a good shrubby plant 

 to place where a large yellow flower is wanted ; it is in- 

 creased by division of the root. The Jerusalem Arti- 

 choke is of the same family. The Convolvulus, our old 

 twining favourite, so splendid in its abundant though 

 short lived flowers, has many rare and showy kinds com- 

 paratively recently introduced. Most of them require 

 heat to raise the seed. 



The Salpiglossis, of several varieties, are delicately 

 veined, rich coloured flowers of great beauty. They 

 require a light rich soil, and may be sown in autumn, 

 and protected through the winter or in spring They 

 are only half hardy ; if the seed be put in the open 

 ground it must not be till May. The different varie- 

 ties grow from one to two feet high, and produce 

 flowers of various colours, scarlet, purple, blue, sul- 

 phur, &c., from July to autumn. The Mesembryanthe- 

 mums are half-hardy annuals, which must be raised in 

 a greenhouse or on a hot-bed. Pricked out in May 

 in a sunny spot, with a sandy soil, their delicate bright 

 green foliage, covered with ice-like little globules, 

 looks refreshing and nice. Nemesia compacta, and othei 

 varieties of the same, are pretty, free blooming, half- 

 hardy annuals, with flowers of pure white, blue, violet, 

 or pale pink, according to the variety. They must be 

 raised on a hot-bed in spring, and planted out the end 

 of May or June. They flower in June, grow close to 

 the ground, and keep long in bloom. The Helichrysum, 

 with its various varieties, is an everlasting, which is very 

 useful for winter bouquets. They may be raised on a 

 hot-bed early, or later in the open border. Acroclinium 

 roseum and Eoseum album are also half-hardy annual 

 everlastings, which, raised on heat, will grow freely in 

 the garden. The Xeranthemuvn, is a pretty purple ever- 

 lasting, which is qufte hardy. There is also a white 

 one. 



