THE PETUNIA. PLANTS USED AS SUBSTITUTES FOR SPINACH. 
strong wood, which should be shortened to 
two feet at the most. When the plant once 
beginsfloweringthebloom comes in abundance. 
ALTHAEA FRUTEX, OR HIBISCUS 
SYRIACUS. 
This very attractive shrub is, when in a 
healthy state,one of the prettiest of the autumnal 
flowering hardy plants, but was for some years 
considered tender. Parkinson recommends 
protection in winter, assuring us that "they 
are somewhat tender ;" and says they must 
" not be uncovered in the winter time, nor be 
abroad in the garden, but be kept in a large 
tub or pot in the house, or in a warm cellar, 
if you wouldhavethem to thrive." It is a showy 
subject, perfectly hardy, and comprises a good 
many varieties of colour. By some it is called 
the Hollyhock tree, from the great similarity of 
the flowers to a single Hollyhock. Few plants 
thrive better in ordinary shrubberies ; but in 
all the composts there ought to be some peat 
among the loam, for without this many plants 
get scrubby and unhealthy, and it is the case 
with the Althffia Frutex, which should be 
treated almost as an American. It is best 
propagated by layers, though cuttings will 
strike. The best way to select plants is in 
the autumn, while in bloom, for you will find 
several different colours, which you may select 
according to your taste. It is rather a rapid 
grower when it takes well to a place, and 
therefore must have plenty of room. 
THE PETUNIA. 
Many persons affect not to understand the 
properties of the Petunia, as laid down and 
illustrated by Mr. Glenny, yet nothing can be 
much clearer. It may be, as some say, that 
the flower is not naturally round, and that the 
graceful outline, forming a point in each divi- 
sion, is not likely to be got rid of. It may be the 
flower is naturally of thin flimsy substance; but 
so far from these things rendering it desirable 
to forego the favourite circle for an outline, 
or thickness for the character of the flower, 
they are strong reasons for insisting upon 
them as improvements. It is certain that the 
most difficult point to get over, in this as in 
almost every flower, is its flimsy nature ; and 
nothing but perseverance in good earnest can 
get over it. Every seedling that comes of 
thicker substance, no matter how. ugly the 
colour, should be saved, and seeded from as an. 
advance in one important and difficult point. 
With regard to the circular outline, there has 
been considerable advance made. We have 
seen varieties which had nearly lost the point, 
and hardly showed the divisions ; and there is 
no reason to doubt it will approach the stan- 
dard as nearly as most flowers do. It is very 
inconsiderate of any one to say, now, what 
can and what cannot be done in the improve- 
ment of flowers, especially after what has 
been accomplished with the pansy. There 
are certain features which belong especially to 
a tribe of flowers, and would never be got rid 
of — such as the divisions in the margin — but 
these may be, in a great measure, hidden by 
the manner in which they lap over each other. 
The Auricula and Polyanthus are divided into 
segments at the outer edge, and one of the 
faults was, and even now is, in many varieties, 
that they are divided too far in towards the 
centre, and even the eye is cracked ; whereas 
the crack or division should never go be3 r ond 
the coloured portion, because that conceals it ; 
while the bright yellow of the Polyanthus, 
and the snowy white of the Auricula, expose 
it, and the flower is spoiled thereby. The 
Petunia is also divided, and the more the divi- 
sions show the more ugly is the flower. The 
number of those which revert to the worst 
forms, among a bed of seedlings saved from 
the best, shows how Nature struggles to re- 
gain her simple and original character in every 
one of her works. It is only perseverance in 
a given path that overcomes the obstacles she 
places in our way, when we desire to change 
her features for others more accordant with 
our tastes. 
PLANTS USED AS SUBSTITUTES FOR 
SPINACH. 
The number of plants used as substitutes for 
Spinach is considerable, although, in conse- 
quence of the ease with which a supply of that 
vegetable itself can in general be commanded 
in England, they are less grown than perhaps 
some of them deserve. 
One of the oldest plants cultivated for this 
purpose is perhaps the " Herb Patience," 
T 2 
