GIAXT BALSAM. 47 



singly or in pairs, the hooded sepal ending in a long spur, 

 which is henfc back upon the flower. It is a curious fact 

 that these flowers, which are so particularly noticeable, are 

 infertile; the seeds are produced by minute, imperfect 

 flowers that are seldom noticed by anybody. 



The copper or orange-coloured balsam resembles the 

 yellow, except that the flowers are of a deeper colour, 

 spotted with reddish-brown, and the spur is very closely 

 bent back, and slightly notched at the extremity. 



The glandular balsam rises to six, eight, or even 

 twelve feet, and is of coarse though noble growth in a 

 rich soil .when aided by a rainy season. In a dry season 

 it makes a good growth, and scatters seed freely; but it is 

 evidently a rainy-climate plant, and makes a grand appear- 

 ance in the autumn following upon a wet summer. The 

 leaves are three to five inches long, ovate, sharply serrated, 

 the serratures at the base being glandular. The flowers 

 appear in clusters of three or more, and many of these 

 clusters being closely associated, and all arising from 

 axils of leaves, constitute a large leafy corymb or panicle. 

 The flowers are large, and of various shades of purple ; the 

 seed-vessels, when ripe, burst on the slightest touch with 

 much force, and the seed is sent flying in all directions to 

 a considerable distance from the parent plant. 



From the interesting family of balsams our gardens 

 have derived a few of their choicest treasures. The very 

 useful Balsaminea hqrtensis, which is the balsam of the 

 flower garden, we have spoken of. But we should now 

 mention two that are less known, but quite worthy of a 

 place in our budget. 



Hooker's balsam (Impatiens Hookeriana) is a native of 

 Ceylon, requiring stove culture to insure a display of its 



