H E S 



H 1 B 



only by dividing the roots, or by planting cut- 

 tings. 



In the first method, in order to promote off- 

 sets from the root, some good plants should be 

 allotted in any open bed or border for propaga- 

 tion, not suffering them to run up fully to 

 flower; but when their flower-stalks have ad- 

 vanced about eight or ten inches high, to cut 

 them down close to the ground ; and as they 

 shoot again, to cut them also off; as, by thus 

 stopping their upright growth, the roots will 

 more readily throw out young offsets from their 

 sides, which will be well formed by the beginning 

 of autumn, when the whole root should be taken 

 up, and the offsets divided separately, and plant- 

 ed in a nursery-bed six inches distant, to remain 

 till the beginning of autumn, or spring follow- 

 ing; then removed with balls of earth about their 

 roots to where they arc to stand and flower. 



The flower-stalks which are thus occasion- 

 ally cut down to promote the increase of off- 

 sets at bottom, may be divided into lengths, 

 and planted as directed below ; each cutting will 

 form a plant for flowering the following year. 



This practice should be pursued annually to 

 keep up the stock of double flowers ; for those 

 which shoot up to full growth and bloom rare- 

 ly put out any offsets, unless the stalks are cut 

 down as soon as the flowers begin to fade, when 

 sometimes they emit a few, but which are not 

 so numerous or so strong as in the manner di- 

 rected above. 



The cuttings of the flower-stalks may be 

 planted any time in the early part of summer, 

 when the stalks are advanced about a foot in 

 growth, or before they flower, each being cut 

 and divided into two or three cuttings, four, 

 five, or six inches in length. The lower half 

 generally forms the best cuttings. They should 

 be planted in a shady border, putting them two 

 parts into the ground, about three inches asun- 

 der, giving water at the time, and repeating it 

 frequently. Many of the cuttings will be well 

 rooted, and form shoots at top in six or eight 

 weeks. To promote their rooting more effec- 

 tually, they should be covered close with hand 

 or bell glasses, as soon as planted, raising the 

 glasses when they begin to shoot at top, to ad- 

 mit air, to which they should be hardened gra- 

 dually. 



All the sorts are ornamental for the open 

 borders of pleasure-grounds, and to intersperse, 

 in assemblage with other herbaceous plants, to- 

 wards the fronts of the more conspicuous shrub- 

 bery clumps, on sides of lawns and walks, 

 being always planted out in autumn, or early in 

 spring, before they advance much for flower- 

 ing. 



HIBISCUS, a genus furnishing plants of the 

 shrubby and flowery exotic kinds. 



It belongs to the class and order Monade/pkia 

 Poly and via, and ranks in the natural order -of 

 Columniferce. 



The characters are : that the calyx is a double 

 perianthium : outer many-leaved, permanent : 

 leaflets linear : more rarely one-leafed, many- 

 cleft: inner one-leafed, cup-shaped, half -five- 

 cleft, permanent : or five-toothed, deciduous : 

 the corolla has five petals, roundish-oblong, 

 narrower at the base, spreading, fastened at bot- 

 tom to the tube of the stamens : the stamina 

 have very many filaments, united at bottom into 

 a tube, at top (in the apex and surface of this) 

 divided and loose: anthers kidney-form : the 

 pistillum is a roundish germ : style filiform, 

 longer than the stamens, five-cleft at top : stig- 

 mas headed : the pericarpium is a five-celled 

 capsuie, five-valved: partitions contrary, dou- 

 bled : the seeds solitary or several, ovate-kidney- 

 form. 



The species cultivated are : 1. H. Syriacus, 

 Syrian Shrubby Hibiscus, or Ahhasa Frutex ; 

 2. H. Trionum, Bladder Hibjscus, Bladder Ket- 

 mia, or Flower of an Hour; 3. H. Rosa Sinensis, 

 China Rose Hibiscus; 4. H. mutabilis, Change- 

 able Rose Hibiscus, or Martinico Rose. 



The first rises with a shrubby stalk to the 

 height of six or seven feet, sending out many 

 woody branches, covered with a smooth gray 

 bark : the leaves have the upper part frequently 

 divided into three lobes, placed alternately on 

 the branches, and stand on short foot-stalks : 

 the flowers come out from the wings of the stalk 

 at every joint of the same year's shoot ; they are 

 large, and shaped like those of the mallow, 

 having five large roundish petals, which join at 

 their base, spreading open at the top in the shape 

 of an open bell : these appear in August, and if 

 the season is not too warm, there is a succession 

 of flowers part of September. The early flowers 

 are succeeded by short capsules ; but unless the 

 season proves warm, they do not ripen in this 

 climate. It is usually termed Althcea frutex 

 by the nursery gardeners. It is a native of 

 Syria. 



There are varieties with pale purple flowers, 

 with dark bottoms ; with bright purple flowers, 

 with black bottoms ; with white flowers, with 

 purple bottoms; with variegated flowers, with 

 dark bottoms, called Painted Lady Althaea fru- 

 tex; with pale yellow flowers, with dark bottoms j 

 with variegated leaves, and with double flowers. 



The second species rises with a branching 

 stalk a foot and a half high, having many short 

 spines which are soft : usually the leaves are di- 

 vided into three lobes, which are deeply jagged 

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