1871. ] 
HYDRANGEA OTAKSA. 
153 
confusion ; it has a good pod, not liable to burst, but the habit of the plant 
appears to be rather weakly. 
Clark's Lord Lyons is a deep rosy purple, very fine, with large smooth full 
flowers; it is of good habit, very free, and quite distinct. 
The four varieties above named are of remarkably fine quality, and will be 
found very superior to anything before sent out. To obtain fine strong plants 
for forcing, the cuttings should be struck early in April, and when well rooted 
they should be planted out about eight inches apart, and frequently watered 
during the summer months, so as to keep them in a growing state. Early in 
October they should be taken up with a good ball of earth, and potted into 6 in. 
pots, using rich soil consisting of three parts of good loam to one of well-rotted 
manure. They should then be placed on a bed in the open air, taking care not 
to let them suffer for want of water. After the plants have become well estab¬ 
lished, they may be placed in a little gentle heat, and brought on in succession 
as required.— John Ball, Slough. 
HYDRANGEA OTAKSA. 
*E were favoured with specimens of this fine hardy shrub last summer, by 
Mr. A. Waterer, of the Knap Hill Nurseries, and must bear witness to 
its great beauty. It is one of numerous species which are met with in 
Japan, and is admirably figured in Siebold and Zuccarini’s leones et 
Descriptions Hydrangearum , forming a portion of the Flora Japonica. It is a 
grand ornamental shrub of bold habit, very nearly related to H. Hoi'tensia , and, 
like it, having the inflorescence composed of radiant or neuter flowers. Its leaves 
are obovate, serrated, cuneate at the base, and shortly cuspidate at the apex ; and 
its flowers grow in great globose cymes, and are of pale or sky-blue colour, all, or 
nearly all, radiant, with five (or sometimes four) roundish, obovate, entire sepals. 
In the work just referred to the cymes are said to measure 8 to 12 in. across, 
and in the sample we examined—the ramified termination of a natural shoot— 
the compound flower-head measured just 42 in. in circumference. The flowers 
themselves are somewhat smaller than those of the common Hydrangea, being 
about 1|- in. in diameter, but they are more numerous, of a more elegant form, 
and more pleasing colour, the fine pale blue, which, moreover, pervades all the 
ramifications of the panicle, being, it would seem, natural to them, since they 
are so described by Siebold. Otaksa is the native Japanese name. It is a plant 
of extreme beauty, and will prove to be one of great utility, about equalling the 
common Hydrangea in respect to hardiness. 
We may take this opportunity also to note that Hydrangea paniculata grandi- 
jlora , sent to us at the same time, is another remarkably ornamental plant, though 
of a totally different character, approaching in its inflorescence nearer to the H. 
quercifolia of North America. The typical H. paniculata is a branching shrub, 
with ovate or ovate-oblong acute leaves, and flowers disposed in small cymes, so as 
