THE HIBISCUS. 89 



to assume any character you please by pruning and 

 training. If you wish for very dwarf specimens, cut 

 them back ; if dwarf standards, select a main centre 

 shoot, and cut away all the others clean down to the 

 crown of the plant, and train this up to whatever height 

 you please. Then form the head by nipping out the 

 points of all the leaders, and continue to do this as soon 

 as three inches of young growth are made. Thus a 

 clean stem, with a nice compact umbrella- shaped head, 

 may be soon produced, forming a handsome plant. The 

 same may be said of producing standards of either class. 

 The advantage of standard and half-standard Azaleas is 

 that, having two or three feet of clear stem, there is 

 room under the head for other dwarf plants, thus 

 giving variety and a protracted season of flower on the 

 same space. 



Old-established plants may be watered once or twice 

 during the early growing season with liquid manure, 

 but not after the terminal bud is formed. Old dwarf 

 plants that have become poor may be cut down to the 

 ground, with a view to reproduce new ones, so long as 

 the root is healthy and the soil is good. 



The Hibiscus. 



These plants are among our most beautiful flowering 

 shrubs. Many of them will compare with the Carna- 

 tion, and are worthy of a place in every garden, 

 whether it be large or small. The situation should be 

 a warm one, and the soil of peat and good loam (top- 

 spit soil from a good dry common or pasture), of equal 

 parts, and good drainage, although they require an 

 abundance of water while growing. 



They may be pruned to any extent, to induce good, 

 healthy, and compact plants. I refer here to the shrubby 

 kinds, for this genus embraces annuals, perennials, and 

 dwarf woody shrubs. They will flourish exceedingly 

 about such places as Torquay. 



