ROCKET, (Hesperis,) Nat. Ord. Cruciferce. 



The sweet Rocket is a very hardy biennial, bearing clusters of single flowers, about the size 

 shown in the engraving, and very much resembling the Stock, 

 single, and fragrant during the evening. The best colors 

 are purple and white. There are other colors which are not 

 desirable, and a double white, 

 which produces no seed, and 

 which we have not succeeded 

 in naturalizing in America. 

 The plant, with fair culture, 

 will grow eighteen inches in 

 height, is perfectly hardy, and 

 seed will germinate readily in 

 the open ground. The Rocket 

 is thoroughly hardy, but the 

 little pest that makes our Rad- 

 ishes " wormy" is very fond of its root, and sometimes causes the destruction of the plant. 



STOCK, BROMPTON, (Mathiola incana,) Nat. Ord. Crucifera:. 

 The Brompton Stock is the biennial of the Ten-Weeks Stock. The plant is of a larger 

 growth than the annual, the flowers larger, and the 

 spikes longer and bolder. It would be difficult to 

 find any flower more gorgeous than a good Bromp- 

 ton Stock, as seen growing in the gardens of the 

 mild districts of Europe. We have measured 

 spikes of blossoms nearly a foot in length, with 

 the flowers as compact as possible. In the colder 

 districts, the Brompton Stock is grown in conserva- 

 tories. Unfortunately this Stock can not endure 

 our winters, but if plants are grown in the open 

 ground during the summer, in autumn they can be removed to the house, where they will flower 

 well if not kept too hot and dry. In the spring, the plants may be again transferred to the gar- 

 den, where they will furnish a good many flowers during the early summer. 



SWEET WILLIAM (Dianthus barbatus,) Nat. Ord. Caryophyllacea:. 

 The Sweet William is a very old and popular garden flower, but not now so often as for- 

 merly seen in our gardens. Indeed, the system of 

 bedding with Geraniums, and other bright flowers 

 and ornamental foliaged plants, and the introduc- 

 tion of the Phlox and Petunia, and similar valuable 

 annuals that give a constant display during the sum- 

 mer, has almost driven a good many of our really 

 good flowers from the garden. A re-action, how- 

 ever, has commenced, and both amateurs and pro- 

 fessional gardeners are beginning to look about for 

 their old favorites, so long neglected and almost 

 forgotten. They are not quite content, however, to 

 accept the old flowers as they were thirty years ago ; 

 but are making earnest efforts for their improvement. 

 In this improvement the Sweet William, like the 

 Hollyhock, has largely shared. The best varieties 

 are of exceedingly beautiful colors, very large, and 

 almost perfect in form, with trusses of great size. 

 Treatment as for Carnation. The plants are perfectly hardy, and may be increased by division 

 of the roots. There are very good double varieties, though a single Sweet William is much to 

 be preferred to any double we have ever seen. 



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