LAVATERA. 



would make a handsome tree on a stem, with a head re- 

 sembling the orange. The way to have this tree of a hand- 

 some shape, with an upright stem, and the boughs regu- 

 larly disposed, is to raise it from the berry. This is also 

 the case with the bay, the orange, and many others. 



LAVATERA. 



MALVACEAE. MONADELPHIA POLYANDEIA. 



So named from Lavater, a physician at Zurich. French, Lavatere ; 

 Italian, Lavatera, Malvoncino. 



THE Lavateras are large, handsome flowers, in form re- 

 sembling the mallow, but considerably larger. In colour 

 they vary from a pure white to blue, flesh-colour, &c. 



The annual kinds should be sown in autumn, in small 

 pots; one in each. Towards the end of October they 

 should be removed into the house, and, being defended 

 from frost, will abide the winter very well. Early in April 

 they may be shaken out of their pots, and planted in larger ; 

 where they may remain to flower, which they will do in 

 July. 



The perennial kinds are not so well adapted for potting ; 

 and the annual will furnish a sufficient variety of these ele- 

 gant flowers for any house, balcony, &c. In dry summer 

 weather they may be gently watered every evening. If 

 perennial kinds are obtained, they must be sheltered in the 

 winter, and be sparingly watered in that season. Most of 

 the species require sticks to support them. 



Roucel, in his Flore du Nord de France, says that the 

 ex-capucins cultivate the Lavatera in their gardens, for the 

 sake of the stalks, with the peel of which they make ropes 

 to scourge themselves. 



