110 FAMILIAR GARDEN FLOWERS. 



another with a red, and one with a whitish-blue flower, which 

 hath white seeds." Miller recommends sowing on the open 

 border, " where the plants are designed to remain;" but 

 it is better practice to sow the seeds in pans or pots, and 

 nurse them under glass, so as to be strong and growing when 

 put oat in May for flowering. This secures to our subject 

 a longer growing season than it can possibly have when 

 sown in the open ground ; and if planted out in rich light 

 soil, it will soon run to ten or twelve feet, and present its 

 lovely flowers in profusion. There is not a finer subject at 

 our command for the study of delicate gradations of colour 

 than this ; its shades of red, blue, and purple are unique, 

 and in its beauty of form it will ever surprise us, how- 

 ever familiar we may be with it. In the catalogues of 

 the seed-houses, about a dozen varieties are offered, but 

 they are all to be found in a packet of mixed seed. 



A hardier species of convolvulus is that known as 

 Ipomosa kederacea, or the ivy-leaved pharbitis. The leaves 

 are' three to five lobed, the middle lobe ovate — a character 

 peculiar to this species-. The usual colour of the flower 

 is deep glossy blue ; the petals are rough, with yellowish 

 hairs. This species may be sown on the open border with 

 better prospect of success than the finer and more free- 

 growing plant above described, and both are worth a place 

 in any garden. 



A grander plant than either of the foregoing is the 

 red and blue convolvulus (Ipomcea rubro-cmruled) , a native 

 of Mexico, introduced about 1823, but not fully recognised 

 until the year 1834) when it was figured in the Botanical 

 Magazine, t. 3,297, from specimens flowered in the garden 

 of John Alleard, Esq., of Stratford Green, Essex. The 

 seeds from which Mr. Allcard's plants were grown were 



