The HIBISCUS This class numbers many ornamental plants, the blossoms of which all maintain the same character of having a darkened spot at the base of each petal.

The Althaea frutex, H syriacus, Gurhul, yields a handsome purple flower in the latter part of the rains, there are also a white, and a red variety.

The Stinging Hibiscus H pruriens, has a yellow flower at the same season.

The Hemp leaved Hibiscus, H cannabinus, Anbaree, is much the same as the last.

The Bladder Ketmia, H trionum, is a dwarf species, yellow, with a brown spot at the base of the petal.

The African Hibiscus H africanus, is a very handsome flower growing to a considerable height, expanding to the diameter of six to seven inches, of a bright canary color, the dark blown spots at the base of the petals very distinctly marked, the seeds were considered a great acquisition when first obtained from Hobarton, but the plant has since been seen in great perfection growing wild in the Turaee at the foot of the Darjeeling range of hills, blooming in great perfection at the close of the rains.

The Chinese Hibiscus, H rosa sinensis, Jooua, jasoon, jupa, although, really a perennial flower, is in greatest perfection if kept as a biennial, it flowers during the greater part of the season a dark red flower with a darker hued spot, there are also some other varieties of different colors yellow, scarlet, and purple.

The TREE MALLOW, Lavatera arborea, has of late years been introduced from Europe, and may now be found in many gardens in India yielding handsome purple flowers in the latter part of the rains.

But it is unnecessary to continue such a mere catalogue, the character and general cultivation of which require no distinct rules, but may all be resolved into one general method, of which the following is a sketch.

Propagation—­They are all raised from seed, but the finest double varieties require to be continued by cuttings.  The seed should be sown as soon as it can after opening, but if this occur during the rains, the beds, or pots, perhaps better, must be sheltered, removing the plants when they are few inches high to the spot where they are to remain, care being at the same time taken in removing those that have tap roots, such as Hollyhock, Lavatera, &c not to injure them, as it will check their flowering strongly, the best mode is to sow those in pots and transplant them, with balls of earth entire, into the borders, at the close of the rains.  Cuttings of such as are multiplied by that method, are taken either from the flower stalks, or root-shoots, early in the rains, and rooted either in pots, under shelter, or in beds, protected from the heavy showers.

Culture—­Cultivation after the plants are put into the borders, is the same as for perennial plants.  But the duration and beauty of the flowers is greatly improved by cutting off the buds that shew the earliest, so as to retard the bloom—­and for the same reason the footstalk should be cut off when the flowers fade, for as soon as the plant begins to form seed, the blossoms deteriorate.