AYS 



H Y S 



The last species may likewise be increased by 

 planting slips of the roots in the spring, in the 

 same manner. 



They may also be raised by sowing the seed 

 in pots, in the spring, and plunging them in a 

 hot-bed just to bring up the plants. 



The second and third sorts are readily in- 

 creased by sowing the seeds in the autumn, in 

 a bed of common earth, or where they are to 

 remain. 



They are, however, best raised by slipping the 

 roots, and planting them, at the same time, where 

 the plants are to grow. 



The fourth and fifth sorts are easily increased 

 by planting slips from the old roots in the au- 

 tumn or spring, taken with root fibres to them ; 

 or by dividing the roots, and planting them 

 where they are to grow, or in nursery rows. 



They may likewise be increased by seeds, sown 

 as in the two former species, removing them in 

 the spring following to where they are to remain. 



The two tender sorts afford variety in green- 

 house collections, and the other sorts in the 

 borders, clumps, and other parts of pleasure 

 grounds. 



HYSSOP. See Hyssopus. 



HYSSOPUS, a genus affording a plant of 

 the low under-shrubby perennial kind. 



It belongs to the class and order Didynamia 

 Gymnospermia, and ranks in the natural order 

 of VtrliallatcB. 



The characters are: that the calyx is a one- 

 leafed perianthium, cylindrical, oblong, striated, 

 acutely five-toothed, permanent : the corolla one- 

 petalled, ringent : the tube cylindrical, slender, 

 the length of the calyx : throat inclined: upper 

 lip straight, fat, short, roundish, emarginate: 

 lower lip trifid: lateral segments shorter, blunt, 

 the middle one cernate, obcordate, acute, with 

 distant lobes: the stamina have four upright 

 filaments, longer than the corolla, distant; the 

 two upper ones shorter, but the two longer nearer 

 to the lower lip: anthers simple: the pistillum 

 is a four- parted germ : style filiform, under the 

 upper lip, and of the same length : stigma bifid: 

 there is no pericarpium : calyx fostering the seeds : 

 the seeds four, subovate 



The species cultivated is : H. officinalis;, Com- 

 mon Hyssop. 



It has a woody, hard abiding root, the thick- 

 ness of a ringer: the stems very numerous, from 

 a foot to eighteen inches high, shrubby, straight, 

 not much branched ; whilst tender square, but 

 becoming round as they grow woody : the leaves 

 numerous, narrow, smooth, entire, like those 

 of Lavender, but much shorter, acute, dotted : 

 whorls of ilowers from the bosoms of the leaves, 

 on two many flowered peduncles, shorter than 

 the leaf, directed one way, and continued into 

 a spike. It is a native of the South of Europe, 

 flowering in July and August. 



There are several varieties, blue-flowered, 

 white-flowered, red-flowered, long-spiked, with 

 deep blue flowers, curled-leaved, striped-leaved. 



Culture. — This plant may be increased by seed, 

 slips, and cuttings. 



The seed should be sown in a bed or border of 

 4ight earth in the spring, and raked in ; and 

 when the plants are come up, thin them if too 

 close, and when about three or four inches high, 

 plant them out where they are to remain. When 

 it is designed to form an edging of them, the 

 seed may be sown at once where the plants are 

 to remain, in small drills, and covered half an 

 inch deep. 



In the latter methods, a quantity of the ro- 

 bust side-shoots should be slipped or cut off, 

 planting them in a shady border five or six inches 

 apart; giving water as soon as planted, and re- 

 peating itoccasionally. They will soon strikeroot, 

 and in autumn may be planted out where they 

 are to stand. 



The common blue-flowered kind is the sort 

 chiefly used, which is generally cultivated, some- 

 times in close rows, by way of edgings to beds 

 or borders, clipping them annually to keep them 

 regular, and within due compass ; and sometimes 

 disposed in beds,8cc. in rows fifteen or eighteen 

 inches asunder, and the same distance between 

 the plants in each row. The young leafy shoots 

 and i.ower-spikes are the parts proper for use, 

 and may be cut any time when wanted. The 

 llower-stalks should be cut down for use in the 

 summer, and tied in bunches. 



All the varieties may also be employed to adorn 

 the borders, and other parts of the pleasure- 

 ground, disposing them here and there singly to 

 form bushy plants. 



END OF THE FIRST VOLUME. 



Jl. Taylor and Co. fruiters, 38, Shoe-Lane, FUtt-Sti itl 



