Soil, &c.—­This should be moist, and the best compost is formed of one-sixth of well rotted dung from an old hot bed, and five-sixth of loam, or one-fourth of leaf mould and the remainder loam, but in either case well incorporated and exposed for some time previous to use to the action of the sun and air by frequent turning.

Culture.—­A shady situation is to be preferred, especially for the dark varieties which assume a deeper hue if so placed.  But it has been observed by Mackintosh, that “the light varieties bloomed lighter in the shade, and darker in the sunshine—­a very remarkable effect, for which I cannot account.”  The plants must at all times be kept moist, never being allowed to become dry, and should be so placed as to receive only the morning sun before ten o’clock.  Under good management the plants will extend a foot or more in height, and have a handsome appearance if trained over a circular trellis of rattan twisted.  When they rise too high, or it is desirable to fill out with side shoots, the tops must be pinched off, and larger flowers will be obtained if the flower buds are thinned out where they appear crowded.

These plants look very handsome when grown in large masses of several varieties, but the seeds of those grown in this manner should not be made use of, as they are sure to sport; to prevent which it is also necessary that the plants which it is desired to perpetuate in this manner should be isolated at a distance from any other kind, and it would be advisable to cover them with thin gauze to prevent impregnation from others by means of the bees and other insects.  For show flowers the branches should be kept down, and not suffered to straggle out or multiply; these will also be improved by pegging the longer branches down under the soil, and thereby increasing the number of the root fibres, hence adding to their power of accumulating nourishment, and not allowing them to expand beyond a limited number of blossoms, and those retained should be as nearly equal in age as possible.

The HYDRANGEA is a hardy plant requiring a good deal of moisture, being by nature an inhabitant of the marshes.

The Changeable Hydrangea, H. hortensis, is of Chinese origin and a pretty growing plant that deserves to be a favorite; it blossoms in bunches of flowers at the extremities of the branches which are naturally pink, but in old peat earth, or having a mixture of alum, or iron filings, the color changes to blue.  It blooms in March and April.

Propagation may be effected by cuttings, which root freely, or by layers.

Soil, &c.—­Loam and old leaf mould, or peat with a very small admixture of sand suits this plant.  Their growth is much promoted by being turned out, for a month or two in the rains, into the open ground, and then re-potted with new soil, the old being entirely removed from the roots:  and to make it flower well it must not be encumbered with too many branches.