HID 
ING 
severe weather the plants must be re¬ 
moved from the window so as to be 
secure from frost. For decorating the 
flower-garden, the bulbs should be planted 
in October or the early part of Novem¬ 
ber, in light rich soil, at a depth of four 
inches from the crown of the bulb to the 
surface of the earth; it may be necessary 
to place sticks to them when in bloom, to 
prevent them being broken by the wind, 
and this is all the attention they will re¬ 
quire till the foliage is withered, and the 
season has arrived for taking them up, 
when instead of the usual practice ol 
drying them at once in the sun, we would 
advise the Dutch method to be adopted, 
namely, to place them side by side on a 
sunny spot of ground, and cover them 
with about an inch of loose earth, to 
thorough ripen by the subdued heat im¬ 
parted to the earth which surrounds 
them; left in this position for a fort¬ 
night, they will become dry and firm, 
and an hour or two of sunshine will 
finish them properly for storing. 
HYDRANGEA (Linn.) Nat. Order 
Saxifragcicece. To cultivate these plants 
in perfection, cuttings should be taken 
every season from the strongest shoots 
of the old plants in July or August; and 
after being struck, should be potted in 
rich earth and encouraged to grow 7 vigor¬ 
ously by all possible means; a cold pit 
or frame, with frequent applications both 
of manure and plain water, will usually 
effect this, and cause them to become 
thoroughly established and strong before 
the winter. In this state they may either 
be forced in a gentle moist heat through 
December and the spring months to 
bloom early, or kept cool for the pro¬ 
duction of summer flowers; in either 
case, it must be borne in mind they re¬ 
quire abundance of moisture when in an 
active state. 
IBERIS (Linn.) Nat. Ord. Crucifer cb. 
The Candytuft, as this genus is com¬ 
monly called, is an. established favorite 
in the flower-garden, being peculiarly 
adapted for bedding or masses of any 
description, and for ornamenting rock- 
work; the species are hardy, dwarf¬ 
growing plants, either annuals or low 
shrubs: their flowers are white or pale 
purple; and being copiously produced, 
have a fine effect through the summer 
months. 
IMPATIENS (Rivinus.) Nat. Ord. 
Balsaminacece. These curious and beau¬ 
tiful plants deserve a place wherever 
room can be afforded them. The seed 
should be sown in a hotbed in March, 
and the plants removed to the borders 
of the flower-garden in May. After 
having been gradually inured to the 
open air, most of them attain a con¬ 
siderable size, I. glanduligera , noli-me- 
tangere , and some others, rising five or 
six feet in height, and when well grown 
are nearly as much through them. Their 
treatment through the summer should 
be like that of the Dahlia, but being 
annuals, with only one exception, seed 
must be saved to perpetuate the kinds. 
The violent jerk with which the capsules 
burst, when ripe, has often been remarked 
to throw the seeds several yards, a wise 
provision of nature to ensure the future 
plants sufficient space to develop them¬ 
selves. It is from this circumstance the 
generic name is derived. 
INDIGOEERA (Linn.) Nat. Ord. 
Leguminosce. But for one objection, these 
plants would rank among the very best 
of our stove and greenhouse plants; the 
impossibility, however, of keeping them 
in a tolerably compact form, reduces 
their value to such an extent as to 
banish them altogether from small col¬ 
lections; the flowers of nearly every 
species are extremely beautiful, and in 
most cases are numerously produced, 
but being borne on terminal spikes, it 
is found most difficult to stop the plants 
so as to form neat specimens without 
destroying the blossom. They all grow 
freely in sandy peat and loam, and may 
be readily obtained from seeds or cut¬ 
tings ; their flowers are blue, purple, or 
various shades of red and scarlet. The 
annual and biennial species should be 
sown in heat in the spring, and after¬ 
wards receive the ordinary treatment 
of such plants. Several species, but 
more especially I. tinctoria , yield the 
well-known dye called Indigo. 
INGA (Plumier.) Nat. Ord. Legu - 
