140 A GUIDE TO FLORICULTURE. 



plant should be taken up and potted (the soil a rich, sandy 

 loam), watered, and brought into the house. This flower, 

 when planted in the open ground, like the Sunflower, will 

 turn with the sun ; but in cloudy weather it will droop. 

 The situation most desirable in the open ground is, where 

 the sun can have all its influence on the plant. As a pot 

 plant it is desirable in any room. 



HYDRANGEA. 



(HYDRANGEA HORTENSIA.) 



This is another of our universal favorite flowers which 

 is to be found in the humble dwellings of the poor, as well 

 as the mansions of the wealthy. It was first introduced 

 into the King of England's garden at Kew, about sixty 

 years ago, and was imported from China by Sir Joseph 

 Banks. The flowers of this perennial rooted plant, in its 

 primitive state, are of azure blue, but cultivation has 

 wrought a change in their color. It flowers all the sum- 

 mer, the cymes are radient, leaves elleptical, narrower at 

 each end, toothed, and smooth. It does not fall to our lot 

 to see them in their natural color, which necessarily inca- 

 pacitates us from judging correctly if culture be in reality 

 an improvement or not. The circumstance of its turning 

 blue so seldom makes one of that caste truly desirable. I 

 have tried several compositions to change the color of the 

 flowers, but without effect. 



