588 



HISTORY OF THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 



plantations into larger pots, a beautiful object, 

 with its tall pyvamidal stem, on which, for at 

 least two months, appear a succession of blue 

 bells. 



It thrives best in a rich light soil, without 

 any animal manure; and may be propagated by 

 seed, by cuttings from the stem, or by division 

 of the roots, which last affords the strongest 

 plants in the shortest time. The proper time 

 for dividing the roots is after the bloom is over, 

 iu September. The sections are then to be 

 planted in pots, and protected by a frame during 

 the winter. In spring they are to be trans- 

 planted into small pots, and gradually changed 

 into larger ones. According to Miller, the plants 

 raised from seed are alwaj-s the best. The stalks 

 rise more vigorous, and higher, and produce a 

 greater number of flowers. Good seeds are to 

 be obtained by placing a strong ilowering plant 

 in a warm situation, against a wall, or under a 

 glass case. Soon after the seeds are ripe, and 

 gathered, they ai-e to be sown in pots containing 

 light earth, and then put under shelter for the 

 winter. 'I'he plants appear in spring, and make 

 progress during the summer. When the leaves 

 decay in October, they are to be transplanted 

 into beds of light loamy earth, without any 

 mixture of manure. In this bed they are left 

 for two years, being protected in winter by rotten 

 (an. They are then to be removed to their final 

 destination in September or October, and tlie 

 following year being the third from sowing, they 

 win flower. The plants of this, as well as many 

 other species which have been propagated by 

 roots, do not so readily bear seed as those which 

 liave been raised directly from seed. 



The Canterbury Bells (c. medium), is a well 

 known garden flower, with double and single 

 varieties; blue, red, purple, and white coloured. 

 It is a biennial, of very easy culture, and may 

 cither be sown in autumn in beds, where it is 

 to remain; or in spring, for transplantation. 



The Clustered Campanula (c. glomcrosa), is a 

 rock or pot plant, and requires a dry poor soil, 

 in order to bring out the vivid tints of the cor- 

 olla. It is also of very easy culture. 



TiiE Double Rocket. Natural family cruci- 

 fercc; telradynamia, of Linnseus. This is a bien- 

 nial, or imperfect annual, a native of Italy, and 

 introduced into Britain by Gerarde, in 1697. 

 There are two varieties, the white and pui-ple, 

 both forming a spike of double ilowers, about 

 twelve inches in length. They are beautiful, 

 I'ragrant, and dural)le flowers, and give out their 

 odour more sweetly in the evening than during 

 (lie day. Although it is of ea,sy culture in 

 country gardens, yet it will not thrive near large 

 cities, as London and Paris; so that both these 

 capitals are supplied with it from the provinces. 



It grows very luxuriantly in a clayey soil; 

 bul a lighter texture of soil is more favourable 



for the full development of its flowers. The 

 best mode of propagating these plants is the 

 following. When the flower is beginning to 

 fade, cut down the stalks and divide them into 

 ordinary lengths of cuttings; next cut off the 

 leaves, and smooth the ends, then make three 

 slits with a knife in the bark or rind, lengthwise, 

 so as to separate or raise the bark for half an 

 inch in length. When the cutting is inserted 

 in the ground, the loose bark naturally curls up; 

 and it is from this bark that the young shoots 

 proceed. The partial separation, and the turning 

 up of the bark, seems to promote a tendency to 

 throw out roots. The cuttings may be put into 

 flower pots, as they may thus be sheltered during 

 winter with more ease; or they may be placed 

 in the natural earth, provided the soil is light 

 and fresh. Covering them with a hand glass, 

 will forward the rooting of the cuttings; or they 

 may be put on a hot bed, which will equally 

 facilitate their growth. The same florist * recom- 

 mends a similar plan of treatment for stock gel- 

 ly-flowers, and double wall-flowers. 



Cheysanthemum. Natural family composite)'; 

 syngenesia, superflua, of Linnaeus. This genus 

 is well known as containing some of our most 

 showy corn weeds, as the ox-eye, daisy, and 

 corn crysanthemum, as well as our most showy 

 varieties of garden flowers. 



The Chinese Crysanthemum (c. Indicum), is 

 the finest of this family. It is a native of India, 

 and a particular favourite with the Cliinesc, 

 from whence we have derived all our varieties. 

 It was first introduced into this country inl764, 

 and soon became a favourite in our gardens. It 

 blows late in autumn, and may be preserved in 

 the conservatory till the middle of winter, at a 

 period when few other flowers are in perfection. 



There are at least fifty known varieties of this 

 flower, which have been classed under the fol- 

 lowing heads : — 



RoMunculus-jlowered, yellow, white, brown, 

 bluish, buff, pink, and light purple. 



Incurving ranunculus-flowered, black, bluish, 

 pink, orange, red, and white. 



China aster-flowered, yellow, red, crimson, 

 pink, black, and white. 



Marigold-flowered, golden-yellow, with bron- 

 zed back, yellow, lotus-flowered, pale, buff, pur- 

 ple. 



Tassil-flowered, yellow, salmon-coloured, lilac, 

 purple, and white. 



This flower is of very easy culture, and is pro- 

 pagated by dividing the root by suckers, and bj' 

 cuttings. In the beginning of April cuttings are 

 taken from the top shoots of last year's plants, 

 and put into pots containing fresh loam, sand, 

 and bog, or leaf mould. These cuttings should 

 be about three inches in length, and smoothly 



* Robritson Calcdon. Jlcm. vol. 2. 



