DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF FLOWERS. 247 
IMPATIENS,—Batsam. 
TA name given to these plants on account of the elastic force with which their 
capsules burst, and scatter their seeds upon the slightest touch.] 
Impatiens Balsamina,—Garden Balsam.—This is one 
of the most beautiful of popular annuals, forming a showy 
cone of finely variegated Carnation-like flowers. The pre- 
vailing colors of the petals are red and white, the former 
extending to every shade of purple, crimson, scarlet, rose, 
lilac, carnation or flesh color, and white; but some of the 
most superb sorts are elegantly spotted with white. The 
spotted varieties form a class by themselves, and are justly 
regarded as the most brilliant ornaments of the garden. 
There are the crimson, scarlet, rose, purple, and violet 
spotted; another class is striped after the manner of car- 
nations with purple, crimson, rose, scarlet on pure white 
grounds, some with one color, others with two or more 
colors, some are curiously mottled and striped. The most 
improved varieties are very double, and styled Camellia- 
flowered by the French; some of the flowers are almost 
as perfect and as double as those of the Camellia, and 
nearly as regular in shape. The Germans call them Rose- 
flowered, as many of them approach the perfection of that 
flower in shape and fullness. There is a class of Dwarf 
Balsams, that do not grow over a foot high, but very full 
and bushy in habit; they do not produce flowers so dou- 
ble as the Camellia or rose-flowered varieties, but are de- 
sirable for the garden. They should not be planted with 
the tall varieties, which attain the height of two or three 
feet, when properly cultivated. The only way to prop- 
agate the Balsam, is from seed, which does not always 
produce kinds exactly the same as the parent, but ap- 
proaches very near, when great care has been taken to 
keep the different varieties by themselves, as is now prac- 
ticed by those who make a business of raising the seed. 
We procure the best sced from France, which, after many 
