INDIAN CRESS. 125 



There have of late years been several other single 

 varieties of the Tropaeolum' introduced, some of a 

 most beautiful crimson colour, but they are yet 

 rather scarce, and have not found their way to the 

 kitchen garden, or become like the two named sorts, 

 an appendage to the cottager's arbour. They con- 

 tain the same good qualities, and would form a 

 pleasing variety. 



Culture. The Indian cress, being too tender 

 to survive the cold of our winters, is treated as an 

 annual plant ; and if not sown for the benefit of the 

 seed or herbage, it should be for the elegance of its 

 flowers : the new and dwarf sorts in particular are 

 showy, and have a brilliant effect in the flower- 

 garden; they are also well adapted for covering 

 unsightly walls or old buildings. 



The seed is sown from the middle of March to 

 the middle of May, in patches or drills an inch and 

 a half deep. It is not necessary to be very nice in 

 respect of soil or situation, as they will thrive almost 

 any where. The seed should be sown thinly, and if 

 requisite, it will transplant well ; the plant may also 

 be propagated by cuttings. The greatest enemies to 

 this plant are late spring frosts. When the plants 

 advance into runners, and are wanted as a blind, 

 let them be trained to stakes, bushes, or trellis 

 work, and they will afterwards climb unassisted. 

 The major nasturtium will sometimes grow to a 

 great length, as much as twenty feet or more in the 

 season. 



