4f)2 
THE GENUS IMPATIENS. 
will be sufficient for them, and they will be 
more likely to flower freely than if either ex- 
treme is ai lowed. Being of large growth, they 
require plenty of room. 
The species which are to be referred to this 
division, are Impatiens Noli-tangere, I. billora, 
or fulva, I. pallida, I. borealis, and I. parvifiora. 
TREATMENT OP THE IIALF-IIARDY ANNUAL 
SrECIES. 
In this division, wdiich, it has already been 
remarked, consists of plants which are pro- 
perly speaking tender annuals, all the North 
Indian species which are introduced, as well 
as those from the cooler regions of other warm 
countries, may be included : those referred to 
are I. glanduligera, I. Candida, I. macrochila, 
I. tricornis, I. rosea, I. longicornu, I. triflora, 
I. tripetala, I. discolor, and I. cristata ; these, 
especially the first six, are exceedingly orna- 
mental in their appearance when introduced to 
appropriate situations. 
Like the hardy species, owing to the irri- 
table nature of the seed-vessels, the seeds of 
these will disperse themselves, and frequently 
grow up in considerable numbers. This is not, 
however, the course which should be depended 
on for a supply of plants : a portion of the 
seeds of each should either be preserved or ob- 
tained, and from them the requisite supply of 
plants may be raised. The process to be had 
recourse to, in thus rearing a supply of plants 
from seeds, should be the same as that which 
it is found desirable to follow with other half- 
hardy annuals. The leading points of this pro- 
cess may be stated to consist in inducing early 
germination by the aid of a mild degree of 
artificial heat applied to the soil in which the 
seeds are deposited; and in order to effect this, it 
is found to be most convenient to sow such seeds 
in pots, and plunge the pots in a hot-bed frame; 
the young plants are then usually transplanted 
again into pots, in which they are retained 
until the period of planting out ; or they are 
planted out in nursery-beds, where they are al- 
lowed to advance another stage of growth, and 
are then removed to their final situations. This 
course of treatment suits these species of Im- 
patiens when intended for this mode of culture. 
About the end of February, or some time in 
March, according to the period they are re- 
quired to be in flower, the seeds may be sown 
thinly in pots or pans of light rich soil, 
covering them lightly with fine soil, and the 
pots may then be set in a hot-bed frame, where 
the heat is mild, or in a warm green-house: in 
either place, they will germinate soon enough. 
Plants raised at the latter period mentioned 
will be early enough to plant out by the time 
that danger of frost is past ; the earlier ones 
being adapted for growing to a large size in pots, 
before planting out, with a view to have them 
in flower at an earlier period in the summer. 
When the seeds have vegetated, and the plants 
have fully expanded the two seed-leaves or lobes 
(called cotyledons), the seedlings may be care- 
fully taken up, and potted singly in small pots, 
using light rich soil ; they may then be re- 
turned to the frame, or green -house, as the case 
may be, when they should be placed near the 
glass : if occasionally supplied with water, as 
often as they require it, they wall soon become 
strong and established plants ; and from this, 
up to the time of planting out, which must 
not be until danger of frost is past, they will 
only require to be kept in a free healthy state 
by repotting them once or twice in the period, 
and removing them to a cold frame, and hard- 
ening them off by degrees, previously to ex- 
posing them fully to the open air. The repotting 
them once or twice during this period, is de- 
sirable as a means of keeping them from getting 
into a starved and stunted state, from which 
they would take some time to recover; further 
than this, it is not a point that must be re- 
garded as absolutely requiring to be performed. 
By the middle or end of May, if the weather 
is settled, or later if it is not so, the plants 
may be put out into the open ground ; and 
after this has been accomplished, they require 
no other culture or care beyond that of placing a 
single upright stick to each plant, to support 
the main stem against the wind ; and, perhaps, 
in very dry, hot weather, an occasional supply 
of water. 
These plants prefer a situation where the 
soil is naturally cool and moist; for, being 
strong-growing succulent plants, and, for the 
most part, inhabiting damp situations, and 
where the climate also is moist, they appro- 
priate a very considerable quantity of water. 
In situations which are in this respect naturally 
adapted to the plants, they require very little 
extra attention ; but of course, as all gardens 
have not this quality, water must be applied to 
supply the deficiency. In this place, it may 
be well to remark, that in watering plants in 
the open ground, whenever it may be found to 
be requisite, a thorough soaking of the soil 
should be effected, and not a constant dilly- 
dallying application, little more than sufficient 
to moisten the surface. In applying it, the 
surface of the soil should be drawn back two 
or three inches deep, and extending a con- 
siderable distance around the plant ; this 
should then be thoroughly wetted, as far down 
as the roots may be expected to penetrate, 
and after the moisture is a little soaked in, the 
surface soil should be returned again as lightly 
as possible, and allowed to remain without 
consolidation ; in this way, the moisture is 
retained in the soil for a much greater length 
of time than when the soil is allowed to 
become at all compressed. 
