THE ABJITILOX. 47 



About a dozen species of abutilon are recorded in tlic 

 books, l)ut only about half a dozen (or less) are really cared 

 for by cultivators^ because of the fewness of the flowers 

 they produce. They are all of an accommodating' nature^ 

 requiring- only greenhouse temperature in winter and a 

 fairly good soil of light texture, with rational watering. 

 A little draught and a little damp will not kill them, and 

 although none of them are, properly speaking, hardy, yet 

 none of them arc fastidious. To strike cuttings in summer 

 is easy work, but those who soar high in abutilon culture 

 must laarn to graft or bud the rarer kinds on nice \'oung 

 stocks of A. si rill lain or A. ritifolinm. 



Of the varieties there are at least a dozen that deserve 

 a place in every greenhouse. It is imporiant, however, to 

 select the most distinct and free-tlowering, for they differ 

 much in relative merit. The very best are the following : 

 — Anna Cro:i/, the flowers lilac-pink, veined with white ; 

 L'hinois, flow'ers large, pale orange-shaded red; l>:in'-hii 

 rdiitpuchi , bright rose, reticulated with crimson ; Li' Grehil, 

 rose shading to magenta; LonU Mdr'njtKir, delicate pink; 

 Prinr/'sx Jlur/'e, rosy lake ; Prince of Orniige, orange-red, 

 veined with crimson; Heine d'Or, clear gold 3'ellow; iSerajj/i, 

 pure white; Fesnvin-s, brilliant red. The best of those 

 with variegated leaves are Daru-ini lensehilnni , Xirenni 

 minmoralnni, Sellonyannm inarinonilnni, and Te.rillarinni 

 varieijiilnin. These thrive in common soil, and are fine 

 decorative plants for the summer garden. 



The genus sida is nearly related to abutilon. It has 

 been said that the species of sida flower with such punc- 

 tuality that a complete dial of flowers might be constructed 

 by the aid of the several species. Perhaps. 



All the plants of this category yield a strong pliable 



