590 



HISTORY OF THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 



Biich plants, and preserve the seed to be sown 

 separately. 



The Wall Flower (chdranthus chcira.) This 

 is a genus allied to the former. The delightful 

 fragrance of the common wall flower has always 

 rendered it a favourite, although it is possessed 

 of little beauty. There are several species, and 

 several double varieties. All are of veiy easy 

 culture. The rock wall flower, (scoparius), and 

 indeed all the species thrive well on rocks and 

 ■walls where the soil is poor and arid. On this 

 account, it becomes a flower well suited to form 

 an ornament, and to conceal blemislies in any 

 part of the garden grounds. It has this advan- 

 tage also of being a hardy evergreen, standing 

 out even our severe winters. It has some- 

 times been planted in pasture lands, its bitter 

 qualities having been found a preventative of the 

 rot in sheep. 



Balsam (impatiens halsamina.) Natural 

 family halsaminecB ; pentandria, monogi/nia, of 

 Linnieus. This is one of the most beautiful of 

 garden annuals. It grows to one or two feet in 

 height, with a succulent branchy stem, serrated 

 leaves, and a cone of finely variegated carnation- 

 like flowere. Tlie prevailing colours of the petals 

 are red and white, the former extending to every 

 shade of orange, purple, scarlet, lilac, pink, and 

 flesh colour. On the slightest touch the seed 

 capsules, when ripe, burst and scatter the seeds 

 around. Hence the name impatiens ■was applied 

 to the fiimily. It is a native of the East Indies 

 and Japan, where, according to Thunberg's 

 account, the natives use the juice prepared witli 

 alum for dyeing the nails red. It was first cul- 

 tivated in England by Gerarde, in 1596. 



One species, Cb. nolitangere), is a native of 

 Europe. During the day the leaves of this 

 species are expanded, but at night they hang 

 pendent, contrary to what usually takes place in 

 plants which, from a deficiency of moisture, or 

 a too great perspiration from heat, commonly 

 droop the leaves during the day. No animal but 

 the goat is said to eat this plant. The garden 

 balsam is exceedingly apt to run into varieties, 

 the seed from one plant scarcely producing two 

 alike. Double flowers are tliose esteemed, and 

 the most prized are the striped carnation-like 

 flakes or bizarrcs. It is generally raised by seed, 

 though in this way no varieties can lie depended 

 upon being transmitted ; sometimes although 

 rarely, varieties are propagated by cuttings, 

 which, however, do not readily set. Seed ripens 

 easily in semi-double plants, and should not be 

 less than three or four, or even nine years old, 

 before it is sown, as it has been found that new 

 seed rarely produces double flowers. The best 

 Boil is a rich loam, and tlie sowing may take 

 place at any time from Marcli to the end of 

 April. The seed is to be sown very thin in 

 pots, whidi ai-e tlien to be placed in a hot 



bed as near the glass as possible. When the 

 plants attain a height of five inches, they are to 

 be transplanted into larger pots, one in the centre 

 of eacli. As soon as the roots have filled them, 

 the plant is to be moved into a larger ; and this 

 process is to be repeated three or four times till 

 the last pots are eight or more inches in diame- 

 ter, still keeping the plants in a hot-bed. Bal- 

 sams so treated will grow to the height of four 

 feet, and fifteen feet in circumference, with side 

 branches from top to bottom, all covered with 

 large double flowers. 



Tlie Cock's Comb (celosia cristata). The ama- 

 ranthus tricolor, the globe amaranth, and most 

 other tender annuals, may be treated in a similar 

 manner, and with similar success. In October, 

 1820, Mr Knight sent to the Horticultural 

 Society a cock's comb, the flower of which mea- 

 sured eighteen inches in width, and seven inches 

 in height, from the top of the stulk. It was 

 thick and full, and of an intense purplish red. 

 This was produced by means of retarding tlie 

 growth of the flower stalk. The compost 

 employed was of the most nutritive and stimu- 

 lating kind, consisting of one part of unfermented 

 liorse dung fresh from the stable, and without 

 litter, one part of burnt turf, one of decayed 

 leaves, and two of green turf, the latter being in 

 lumps of about an inch thick, in order to keep 

 the mass so hollow that tlie water might have 

 i'ree liberty to escape, and the air to enter. The 

 seeds were sown in spring rather late, and the 

 plants put first into pots of four inches diameter, 

 and then transplanted to others a foot in diame- 

 ter, the object being not to compress the roots, 

 as that has a tendency to accelerate the flower- 

 ing of all vegetables. The plants were placed 

 within a few inches of the glass, in a heat of from 

 70° to 100°. They were watered with pigeon- 

 dung water, and due attention paid to remove 

 the side branches when very young, so as to pro- 

 duce one strong head or flower. 



TiiE Cyclamen. Natural iixnTXy primulaccis ; 

 pentandria, monof/ynia, of Linnaeus. This is a 

 genus of pretty little annuals, with cordate 

 or orbicular leaves, twisted flower-stalks, and 

 beautiful five petalled flowers. 'I'lie root is a 

 round flattened bulb the size of a pigeon's egg, 

 and in the north of Italy the swine feed on them. 

 When the flowers fade, the pedicles twist up like 

 a screw, inclosing the germen in the centre, and 

 lying close to the ground among the leaves, 

 remain in that position till the seeds ripen. The 

 ])lants, from their neat small size, are pecu- 

 liarly suited for pots for the drawing-room in 

 spring. The ivy-leaved is very fragrant, but 

 scarce and delicate. The Persian ripens seeds 

 freely, and may thus be easily increased. They 

 should be sown immediately after they are 

 ripened, and kejit in a frame or gi-eenhouse till 

 the first of May. They may then be trans])lanted 



