THE CULTURE OF SUNFLOWERS. 



41 



collection is of considerable importance, and I doubt not that 

 many, and myself among the number, have been benefited by 

 inspecting them. But let us now see what are some of the 

 adaptabilities of these Sunflowers. First and foremost un- 

 doubtedly their greatest value is in the flower garden, and 

 whether this be in the herbaceous border proper or in beds 

 devoted wholly to them on the lawn, where they would shine forth 

 in all their brilliancy, matters but little, as they are well suited 

 to either. Some of the giants of this fine race of plants, as, for 

 example, grosse-serratus, giganteus, multiflorus-maximus, and 

 others, would be productive of excellent results in the shrubbery, 

 and, given room for development, would tend to brighten a 

 department in our gardens which is not unfrequently of too 

 sombre a hue. In like manner may the forms of H. rigidus be 

 all employed for this and similar purposes. 



One very important item, and one too often overlooked, is the 

 suitability of some kinds to town gardens and smoky districts 

 generally ; especially is this true of the multifloriis group. All 

 these are possessed of a vigorous habit and great freedom of 

 flowering, the latter coming at a time w 7 hen flowers in town 

 gardens are none too plentiful. Therefore I urge upon all who 

 have such gardens not to forget the great value of Sunflowers for 

 this purpose ; free-flow T ering and smoke-resisting plants are by no 

 means common. Then, again, I would like to see them figure 

 far more conspicuously than they do at present in our large 

 public parks and gardens, for in such places plenty of scope 

 exists, and large beds may be devoted entirely to them. More- 

 over, they are so extremely accommodating in several ways that 

 it is a matter for regret as well as surprise that their value as 

 bedding plants has not received greater recognition hitherto. 

 For this purpose they may be allowed to attain their full height, 

 or by adopting the dwarfing process their height may be reduced 

 just one half. For my own part I am much in favour of the 

 dwarfing process, not from any desire to thoughtlessly curtail the 

 stateliness of any plant, but because I believe a far wider field, 

 for usefulness is thereby insured — e.g., an amateur with a small 

 garden may refuse to give place to a plant, however free- 

 flowering or decorative, knowung that its usual height is five 

 or six feet ; yet the same amateur, knowing that by a simple 

 process this height could be much reduced, may possibly avail 



