THE HELIANTHEMUM, OR SUN ROSE. 
181 
be proper for them : here, at suitable dis- 
tances, two or three large rough stones may 
be set into the ground, a few inches apart, 
forming a rude hollow between them, into 
which the plants may be put in appropriate 
soil; in such cases, the stones should stand 
from three to six inches above the level of 
the border, and the plants between them may 
then be slightly raised above the ordinary 
level. In the same way, that is, with two or 
three rude stones set around them, some of 
the choice kinds may, if required, be planted, 
to fill small beds in sheltered parts of the 
flower garden, or on the lawn ; in the latter 
case, it will be desirable to regard them 
merely as summer plants, placed there for the 
sake of their flowers, during that part of the 
year and the autumn, and destroj'ed as soon 
as affected by frost, the beds being occupied, 
for spring flowering, by other kinds of plants, 
and, if preferred, planted again with Helian- 
themums in the following year. 
These plants, and their allies, the Cistuses, 
are also well suited for planting in vases for 
the summer season, the dryness and warmth 
to which they are thus exposed being very 
favourable to their growth and flowering. 
A vase planted round the outside with various 
coloured varieties of the trailing sorts, and 
filled up in the centre with those of more 
erect habit, and placed in a sunny situation, 
would have a very fine effect, if the colours 
were blended with judgment and taste. Or if 
preferred, they might be mixed with other 
plants in filling such vases. Being for the 
most part plants of small size, they would 
better adapt themselves to a vase of small, or, 
at least, of moderate dimensions, than to a 
very large one. Even when other plants are 
placed to fill up the principal part of the 
Centre of these vases, and the rustic baskets 
and boxes, used in pleasure-ground arrange- 
ments, the trailing varieties would still form 
very elegant plants for the margins, and 
would succeed well, provided only that the soil 
was well drained, and the situation warm and 
sunny. 
There would thus appear to be in flower 
gardens, at least four positions into which, 
under fitting circumstances, these plants may 
appropriately be introduced. They are also 
possessed of considerable interest when culti- 
vated in pots ; and a reserve stock should, as 
will be presently noticed, be always kept 
growing in pots, under proper shelter in 
winter. 
The Helianthemums will grow freely enough 
in any light dry common garden soil, but 
Avhere soil has to be provided for them, and 
there is an opportunity of exercising choice, 
nothing can be selected, which will be more 
suitable for them, than a light or sandy loam. 
Some of the kinds which are found wild in 
this country are met with abundantly in 
chalky districts, so that they succeed well in 
soil of a calcareous nature. The most import • 
ant point as regards soil would appear to be 
that it should be dry, in the sense of well 
drained. 
They are all freely propagated either by 
cuttings or layers. The tops of the young 
non-flowering shoots, with three or four joints, 
are proper for cuttings ; from these, the 
lowermost pair (the leaves usually grow 
opposite, that is, in- pairs one opposite the 
other) of leaves should be cut off clean with a 
sharp knife, and a transverse cut made close 
below where they joined the stem ; a few 
only should be prepared before they are 
planted, lest they become shrivelled through 
evaporation from the cut surface, and it is 
better too to plant them when comparatively 
fresh than to allow them to get dry and then 
to immerse them in water to freshen them up 
again. They should be planted, not too close 
together, under hand-lights, in firm sandy 
soil ; or they may be planted in pots of sandy soil, 
and the pots plunged under hand-lights, either 
of which will answer. If this be done in June 
or July, the cuttings will be well rooted, and 
may be potted singly into small pots, and 
become nice bushy little plants before winter ; 
and if well kept through that part of the year, 
will be strong for planting out in the following 
season. If the obtaining of strong plants for 
planting out is no object, and a reserve stock 
only is required, then the cuttings may be 
planted in August or September, and kept in 
the cutting pots through the winter, thus 
occupying less space in storing than when 
separate pots are employed ; in the spring 
they may be potted singly. The young plants 
should in all cases be kept topped while young, 
to make them bushy. Thus, soon after pot- 
ting — when they have just "taken with the 
pots," as the phrase is. the tops may be pinched 
out at the fourth or fifth set of leaves, or at 
about three inches high ; afterwards they may 
be topped at the second or third joint, two or 
three times repeated before the time of planting 
out, if they grow fast enough to render this 
necessary. Those grown for planting out 
should be shifted in spring, to increase their 
size and strength. 
When seeds are produced, they should be 
sown as soon as sufficiently ripened, in pots of 
sandy soil, and set in a cold frame ; the plants, 
when large enough to handle, may be potted 
singly and treated as cuttings. 
It has already been remarked that a reserve 
stock of all the kinds (especially the tender 
ones) should be kept in pots and protected 
through the winter. This is necessary, be- 
cause some of the kinds are not hardy 
