S.

S. C. squarrosa. They are very near in character and aspect to the normal form, and the first variety is the most distinctly hoary. They are all compact neat plants, growing to the height of about 2 feet, and are chiefly suitable for the mixed border, unless the rockwork is extensive, when they may very properly be used in prominent positions in the decoration of it. There are several other species of Santolina in cultivation, but those described are the most distinct and useful. viridis may be mentioned, however, as being a very peculiar species, having the habit and leaves of the Common LavenderCotton, but quite destitute of hairs or down, and dense darkgreen both in young branches and leaves, which indeed would be the colour of all the shrubby species, but for the hoary down which distinguishes more or less most of the others. Native of southern Europe.

Solidago (Golden Rod). This is a very extensive genus, but, like many of the larger genera of Composite, it abounds in bad species, which are not definable by any obvious or tangible characters. Regarded as ornamental plants, scarcely one of them may be admitted in select collections. They are in the mass rough bulky plants, abundantly floriferous; but the inflorescence is common and weed-like, and a few are diminutive uninteresting things, fit only for botanical collections. A few of the more distinct and free-flowering or showy species may be employed often with advantage amongst shrubs, and they are generally very fit subjects for naturalising; and in this way they have only one enemy-rabbits—to contend with; for the stronger species are fully equal to the grossest of our indigenous vegetation if planted out in strong tufts; but these creatures make short work of them, cropping down as they assiduously do every inch of tender growth as it starts in spring. They succeed in any soil or situation, not objecting to considerable shade, so that they may be naturalised in woods successfully. All are readily increased by division in autumn, winter, or spring.

S. altissima (Tallest Golden Rod).—This is a gigantic coarse plant, reaching the height of 6 or 7 feet, with stout erect stems, clothed with deeply-toothed lance-shaped leaves, rough to the touch and wrinkled. The panicles of flower are large, and the divisions or racemes of which they are composed are one-sided. Flowers in August and September. Native of North America.

S. reflexa (Reflexed-leaved Golden Rod).-About 3 or 4 feet high; the stems erect, clothed with hairs and with lance-shaped slightly-toothed leaves. Panicles of flowers densely clustered. Flowers in August and September. Native of North America.

S. rigida (Rigid Golden Rod).-This is one of the most ornamental, and may be very well admitted in large collections of mixed-border plants for variety's sake. It grows rigidly erect, with oblong, roughly-hairy leaves. The stem divides at the top into erect compact racemes, appearing in September and October.

Stokesia cyanea (Blue-flowered S.) This is a very handsome plant, growing about 18 inches or 2 feet high. It forms dense tufts of stem-clasping leaves, spatulate in form, quite entire on the margin, but slightly hairy. The flower-heads are large, deep sky-blue, appearing in September. Native of Carolina and other Southern States of America. It flourishes quite well in any ordinary garden-soil if well drained, and may be propagated freely by division. This is a choice plant. I have no experience of it north of London; in that district it is perfectly hardy, but in cold wet localities it would in all probability not endure the winter without protection; and in such localities it would at any rate flower so late as to be almost useless. It has been recommended as a pot-plant for greenhouse decoration in early winter, and it is well worth a place indoors or out. In warm favourable localities it continues to bloom far into winter out of doors.

LOBELIACEÆ.

This is a large and brilliant order, the members of which are mostly inhabitants of the warmer regions of the world. Very few of them are hardy enough to endure the winter climate of the British Islands, but a good many of the perennial herbaceous species are indispensable in mixed flower-borders and in other styles of ornamental gardening, and consequently deserve some notice here in detail. The culture of each genus will be given in its proper place as it comes under notice.

Lobelia is an extensive family, composed of a few annual and biennial and a large number of perennial herbaceous, and a few evergreen suffruticose, species. It is liberally distributed over many of the warmer parts of the globe, but in Europe and northern Asia representatives are few and rare. Britain is favoured with two species, L. urens and L. Dortmanni; the former a very rare plant, having hitherto been found in one locality only-in Devon, near Axminster; and the other, being

aquatic, and found in only a few of the lakes in the three great divisions of the kingdom, may be regarded as a merely local plant in this country. The reputation of the genus for ornamental purposes is deservedly very high. There is indeed little contained in it that may be condemned as weedy or uninteresting; while of many species and varieties it may be correctly said they are unsurpassed for brilliancy of colouring and adaptability to every style of flower-gardening, whether rustic or refined, ribbon or panel, masses of one colour or mixtures of many colours, on any scale, small or great, from the humble patch in the cottager's mixed bed or border, to the thousands that adorn the gardens of the rich and luxurious. But until very recently little has been heard and less seen of Lobelias in this country, except in so far as the justly popular L. erinus and its several excellent varieties, or the pretty annual L. gracilis or campanulata, have brought them into view. It is refreshing, however, to observe that the tide of popular favour is now fairly setting in the direction of the old-fashioned and long-neglected tall herbaceous species, whose striking aspect and sparkling colours are unfamiliar to the majority of young gardeners, but will be pleasingly remembered, either as pot or border plants, by older men. Scarlet and crimson, blue and purple, in various shades, and white, were the sum of the colours of these tall Lobelias, till within a few years ago; but they have recently yielded to the art of the florist, and now we have varieties in carmine, cerise, claret, magenta, pink, ruby, with many shades of purple and scarlet and crimson, while these are varied still more in certain varieties with white. There is also in some sorts an increase in the size of the individual flowers, and there is greater variety in habit. Some varieties are dwarf and diffuse, others tall and strict; and in this respect there will soon, perhaps, be such diversity of character as will render Lobelias of this section adaptable to very general use in bedding out. As subjects for the mixed border, nothing can surpass these tall perennial Lobelias; and it is astonishing that the species and the older varieties should ever have been allowed to fall into disuse for that purpose, for under good cultivation they are striking, bold, and handsome. Their cultivation is a very simple matter. From the combined influences of cold and wet the soft succulent underground stems are liable to perish in winter if left out of doors where they grow, unprotected; protection of some sort is therefore necessary. Some leave them where they made their growth till spring, protecting them with a mound of coal-ashes or any other available protecting materials; others lift them as soon

as flowering is finished, and stow them away in coal-ashes or dry sand in sheds, under stages of cool plant-houses or in cold frames; and a friend of the writer, who was very successful in the cultivation of Lobelias, kept his roots in tubs of water under cover to prevent freezing; but the water, on account of its liability to become putrid, required frequent renewal, a circumstance, doubtless, that prevented my friend from making converts to this pickle-tub method. My own experience is in favour of lifting the roots in autumn immediately after flowering is finished, dividing them, and potting the offsets singly in the smallest pots they can be got into, afterwards plunging the pots to the rims in coal-ashes in a cold frame. Liberal airing in favourable weather, and protection during frost, are all that they will need of attention and labour till the early months of spring. To do them thoroughly well, they must have an early start; and for this purpose a hotbed, in which a temperature ranging from 60° to 65° can be kept up, should be in readiness to receive them by the second week in February. Examine

and trim the plants, and transfer them to the hotbed, not plunging them, but merely setting them on a bed of ashes. They will soon begin to grow, and will require shifting and constant attention to watering, but as yet very carefully. Continue to shift as required by the progress they make up till the end of April, when they should get their final shift and be transferred to a cold frame, kept close till they are inured to it, and afterwards carefully hardened off for planting out in the end of May. They are not particular as to kind of soil, but are very much so as to the quality. Loam and peat and well-decayed stable-manure in nearly equal parts, and abundance of grit of some sort to keep it open and porous, is a compost in which these Lobelias delight in pots, and the beds or borders that they are designed to occupy out of doors cannot possibly be made too rich for them. They are very impatient of drought when making their growth, and will absorb almost any quantity of water; it should not therefore be spared.

L. amena (Blue American L.)—This is a very rare species in cultivation. I am not aware that it is to be found in nurseries at all, and it certainly is in very few botanic gardens. It is one of the hardiest if not one of the showiest, and continues to bloom for a long period in summer and autumn. The plant grows about 2 feet high, with moderately erect, round, and smooth stems. The leaves are lance-shaped, sharply but slightly toothed. The flowers are a very pleasing shade of blue, in long terminal one-sided spikes, and begin to open

about the end of June, and continue often till frost cuts them off. Native of North America.

L. cardinalis (Cardinal-flower).—This is one of the best known and oldest, having been known to gardeners for a couple of centuries, and is one of those which florists have lately been operating upon with so much success in the production of new varieties. It is an erect-growing plant, reaching the height of 3 feet or more under good cultivation. The leaves are lanceshaped, tapering only slightly till near the point, and distantly and slightly toothed. Flowers in a terminal one-sided raceme, brilliant scarlet, appearing in July onwards till October. Native of Virginia. There is a scarce and pretty dwarf variety of this species named L. c. nana. It grows about 1 foot or 18 inches high, and is valuable chiefly on this account for narrow borders or small beds.

L. Dortmanni (Dortmann's L.)—This is a British aquatic species. It is only adapted to grow in ponds or lakes, or where it may be immersed; but where such places require to be furnished with choice vegetation this plant should be known and remembered: the blue spikes or racemes are very beautiful, waving above the surface of the water. The plant forms dense tufts of dark-green, short, nearly cylindrical, blunt, hollow leaves, which are quite immersed. The flower-stems are erect, and carry the spikes of beautiful pale-blue flowers about 6 or 9 inches above the surface of the water. Native of the lakes of northern Europe and America, besides those of Great Britain and Ireland. It is only suited for shallow water, and is a good subject for hardy aquariums.

L. fulgens (Fulgent E.)—This is a handsome and striking plant, and one of the species at present engaging the attention of florists. It grows about 3 feet high, or 4 if well encouraged. The leaves are narrow, lance-shaped, long, and slightly toothed, and dark red. The stems are smooth and round, and very slightly downy. The flowers, in rather loose terminal racemes, are intense glowing scarlet. They appear in July or August, and last till frost cuts them off. Native of Mexico. The variety L. f. ignea is, if possible, a more striking plant than the species -the leaves are darker in tone, the stems very slightly if at all downy, and the flowers more intensely glowing.

L. splendens (Splendid L.)—This species, if anything less brilliant in colour than the last, is yet the more imposing of the two. They are very nearly related, and resemble each other in a general way rather closely. But in the present plant there is more vigour of stem, broader and thicker leaves, and both stem and leaves are closely covered with very short, hoary