MAURANDYA, Nat. Ord. Scrophulariacea. 

 The Maurandya is a graceful, rather delicate climber from Mexico, bearing flowers yery 



much resembling the Antirrhinum, the principal difference being in the mouth. The Maurandya 



is almost too delicate for out-door culture in the Northern and 

 Middle States, but does remarkably well for baskets, vases, 

 etc., in sheltered positions. Plants should be grown in the 

 hot-bed or green-house, and if designed for the garden, should 

 not be put out until the weather is quite warm ; late in the 

 spring or early summer. Few climbers do better for green- 

 house culture. Growth of plant, five or six feet, and the foli- 

 age abundant, a very desirable trait in a climbing plant, as 

 half the beauty, at least, of a climbing plant is its foliage. The 

 flowers of the Maurandya, however, are of good size and form 

 and color, being about the size and appearance of Digitalis or 

 Antirrhinum, and the colors different shades of blue, white 



and mauve, and the whole plant pleasant to look upon. 



PEAS, FLOWERING, (Lathyrus,) Nat. Ord. LeguminostB. 

 The Flowering Peas are among the most useful and beautiful of all our hardy annuals. 



Nothing can be better for large bouquets, as the flowers are lively and delicate, varying in color 



from white to the darkest purple imaginable, and 



including the most lively pinks ; and as fragrant as 



Mignonette. For a hedge or screen, or little 



groups supported by common brush, the Sweet 



Pea is not excelled. If the soil is rich they will 



grow five feet in height, and continue to flower all 



the summer unless the season is too hot and dry. 



The Pea luxuriates in a cool, moist soil, and in a 



damp season. Cut the flowers freely and do not 



allow seeds to form except on a few plants which 



are designed for seed-bearing. Sow the seed four 



inches deep, and as early in the spring as possible. 



Don't wait for fair weather. Hoe the earth 



towards the plants a little, as for common garden 



peas, but do not form a ridge, and- furnish support 



early. Use plenty of seed, so that they will not be 



further than an inch apart. The engraving shows 



flowers of about the natural size. I am anxious to 



encourage the culture of this sweet flower. There 



are several varieties called winged, on account of a wing-like attachment to the seed-pod. They 



are not really climbers, but creepers ; the flowers are small, and they are hardly worth cultivating. 



THUNBERGIA, Nat. Ord. Acanthacea. 

 The Thunbergias are good annual climbers for the garden, but very much better for the 



house and conservator)', where they grow well and flower beautifully. They need support, like 



all the climbers, but we have seen them do well when 

 allowed to run over the ground, making a very pretty 

 bed. For baskets and similar purposes, the Thunbergia 

 should be more generally used, as it is far superior to 

 a score of weedy plants that seem, strangly, to have been 

 adopted for this work. The Thunbergia starts rather 

 slowly at first, but when it begins to run makes a rapid 

 growth. The engraving shows the flowers of natural 

 size, but they form usually more in clusters. The seed 



requires conservatory or hot-bed treatment, but plants are grown easily from cuttings. The 



flowers are white, buff, or orange, generally with a dark eye. 



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