perishes prematurely.

[Illustration: COMMON SUNFLOWER (H. ANNUUS) SHOWING HABIT OF GROWTH.]

_H. Lætiflorus._--Under this name we grow in England a tall,
much-branched, late flowering kind, with smooth and very stout and stiff
stalks, sometimes black, sometimes green. It increases at the base of the
stalks; it makes close growth, and shows little disposition to run at the
root. The flowers are rather small, not more than 9 inches across, but so
durable and so well displayed by the numerous spreading branches as to
make the plant very useful for late decoration. I own that I cannot
identify this plant with the lætiflorus of Asa Gray, which he tells us
resembles tall forms of H. rigidus, with rough stalks, and bears flowers
with numerous rays 1½ inches long.

[Illustration: FLOWER OF HELIANTHUS ANNUUS.]

_H. occidentalis._--Recently introduced by Mr. W. Thompson, of Ipswich,
who gave me the plant two years ago. It is a neat species, growing about 2
feet high, well branched, and producing at the end of July abundance of
flowers about 2 inches across. The lower leaves are small and broad, with
long stalks, ovate in form.

[Illustration: HELIANTHUS MULTIFLORUS FL-PL.]

_H. mollis_, so called from the soft white down with which the leaves are
covered, grows about 4 feet high. Leaves large, ovate, and sessile; growth
of the plant upright, with hardly any branches; flowers pale yellow, about
3 inches across, not very ornamental. Cultivated at Kew, whence I had it.