down, through which the dark colouring of the leaves slightly appears, and the raceme is denser and more compact and the petals broader. In many of the new varieties there is more of the character of this species than any of the others observable. The old variety named L. sp. St Clair is yet one of the most brilliant, and unsurpassed by any of the new scarlets. Native

of Mexico.

L. syphilitica (Syphilitic L.)—This species grows about 2 feet high, with furrowed or angular stems and oblong leaves, narrowing sharply at both ends, and irregularly toothed. Flowers in rather leafy racemes, light blue, and appearing in July and the three succeeding months. There is an excellent hybrid of this species, very hardy and showy, but not over-plentiful in the country, at present known by the names hybrida, Milleri, Purple Standard, and speciosa. In dry soils it may be left out of doors with impunity for the winter; but, like all the others, it flowers better and earlier from having a little start in heat in spring. The flowers are larger than those of the species, and are bright bluish-purple, and the plant grows about 22 or 3 feet high.

There are other species of Lobelia yet to introduce or reintroduce, not perhaps superior to some of those named above, but equal to them in beauty, and quite distinct, which, now that the genus is taken up by florists, might, by the infusion of new blood, bring about different types to any that we have at present.

Tupa.-Little generally is known of this magnificent family of Lobeliads in this country; T. Fueillei is the best known, and is to be met with about the Glasnevin and College Botanic Gardens, Dublin, and occasionally at Kew; and as seen in the border extending outside the houses at the first-named place, in the months of September and October, rising to the height of 4 or 5 feet, loaded with its brilliant flowers, it will be admitted to have few equals. But it is only in such places and in such a border that it can be grown to perfection in the climate of this country without assistance in spring under glass, and the shelter of the same during winter. It is a native of Chili, and will not endure, in most localities, the cold and damp of even our ordinary winters, but it may be lifted in autumn and treated in all respects as recommended for the tall herbaceous Lobelias. It will not, however, accommodate itself so well to any inferior position out of doors, but must have the most sheltered and warm position possible. It forms a fine pot-plant, and well repays any amount of care and trouble either in pots or planted out that will bring it to perfection. In

most parts of Scotland, it is to be feared, it would do little good except as a pot-plant; but in the south it might be turned to account as a subject for the subtropical garden. The votaries of that system may make a note of it, that they have no more gorgeous subject on their list. . It combines the requisites of bold and striking growth, proportionally ample foliage, and a profusion of splendid scarlet flowers. In favourable places, too, it might be used with advantage in ordinary bedding out for the centres of large masses, and for breaking the uniformity of long lines of borders.

T. Bridgesii, syn. Lobelia Bridgesii (Bridge's L.)—This species was formerly in gardens in this country, but was lost, and has very recently been reintroduced. It grows about 4 feet high, with stout stems, clothed with lance-shaped leaves, narrowing much and sharply to the point. The flowers are pink, in dense racemes, appearing in late summer. Native of Chili.

T. Feuillei, syn. Lobelia Tupa (Feuillei's T.)-The stems are stout and slightly woody at the base. The leaves are broadly lance-shaped, sharply toothed, and clothed with greyish down. Flowers in rather dense erect spikes or racemes terminating each stem, are brilliant scarlet, and appear in September and October. Native of Chili.

CAMPANULACEÆ.

This is a very distinguished order amongst herbaceous plants. It presents the largest number of ornamental species for its extent of any yet considered. There is very little comprised in it that is not ornamental, more or less, and many of the species are amongst the most beautiful of herbaceous plants; indeed, without a large selection of the Campanulacea, the best collection would be incomplete and unsatisfactory. It is almost exclusively an herbaceous order, as there is nothing strictly woody contained in it; but there are a few suffruticose plants unfit, however, to associate with herbaceous ones in any ornamental arrangement, even if they were hardy, but I am not aware of any of them being capable of withstanding the rigour of our winter climate. The principal genus of the order is Campanula; it is the largest and most beautiful, while it is also the type of the family. The five or six other genera from which

we can select are all beautiful, but nearly all are very limited in species. In a general way, Campanulaceae delight in rich sandy loam; but many are most accommodating in respect of soil and of situation also, while others are adapted only to specific conditions in both these respects. It will be more useful, therefore, to defer cultural requirements to be considered along with the different subjects selected.

Adenophora is a genus closely resembling, in all superficial features, Campanula, from which it was separated on account of the glandular cylindrical tube or disc that surrounds the base of the style. The generic synonym Campanula is therefore common to all the species, and under that name they are sometimes circulated in Continental lists. They are very useful hardy herbaceous plants, but possessing little variety of colour, stature, and habit-blue, in lighter and darker tints, being the colour of all. They will be found most useful for the shrubbery and mixed border, and are easily cultivated in almost any kind of garden-soil. Propagate by division and by seeds.

A. liliifolia (Lily-leaved A.) is perhaps the best and most useful species in the family. It grows to the height of about 2 or 22 feet, with narrow lanceolate leaves and rather erect stems, terminating in panicles of pale-blue flowers, which appear in the end of May, and last till the middle or end of September. Native of Siberia and Dahuria.

A. tricuspidata, syn. Campanula denticulata (Three-pointed A.)—This is a very elegant species, growing to the height of 18 inches or 2 feet. The root-leaves are roundly egg-shaped, rather coarsely toothed. Flowers in panicled racemes, bright blue and profuse, appearing in the end of summer and in autumn. Native of Dahuria.

Campanula (Bell-Flower).—This is a very numerous and natural group of plants. A strong family likeness pervades the whole, yet there is much diversity of habit and stature, which renders them useful for many purposes, and fit for a variety of positions. From the bright and beautiful character of the few species with which we are familiar in cultivation or in nature in this country, we may fairly estimate the ornamental value of a large number of the perennial species. Our own Scottish Blue-Bells," which with grace and brightness light up for a long period in summer the hedge-banks and waste places all over the country, may be taken as a fair type of the family in both the scientific and practical sense. A few species from Madeira, the Cape of Good Hope, and Australia, are suitable only for frame or greenhouse culture; but the great home of

M

the family being northern and southern Europe and western Asia, a very large majority are hardy enough to endure the severest winters of our climate. They are all of easy culture. Many may be propagated by cuttings, but the largest number are best increased by division or by seed.

C. aggregata (Crowded-flowered C.)-This is one of the best of a small section of Bell-Flowers, distinguished by having their flowers drawn together in clustered heads in greater or less density. The present plant grows about 2 feet high; the stems are angular and leafy, the leaves lance-shaped and regularly toothed. The flowers are pale blue, stalkless, in clustered heads, appearing in July and lasting for a month or two. Native of Bavaria. It delights in a sunny position, and in light rich loam.

C. alpina (Alpine C.)—A dwarf but erect plant, about 6 or 9 inches high. The leaves are lance-shaped, downy. The flowers are dark blue, on longish stalks, grouped thinly on the short leafy stem in loose pyramidal racemes. Native of the Alps of Switzerland and high elevations. An excellent rockwork species and good border-plant, requiring a dry rich soil and open situation.

C. carpatica (Carpathian C.)-This is a very handsome tufted plant, about 9 inches high. The leaves are heart-shaped, toothed on the margins. The flowers, on long slender stalks, are very large, broadly bell-shaped, bright blue. It is one of the showiest and best of the genus, and succeeds in any position in border or rockwork, and in any ordinary garden-soil. It has been used in bedding-out with good effect, and to those having very limited glass accommodation it is worthy of attention for this purpose; for being hardy, it requires no other help in spring than that of lifting, dividing, and replanting; but this point is of considerable importance, as it conduces to more continuous and profuse blooming. The seed-pods, also, will require to be assiduously picked off as they form, for the same reason. There is a very beautiful pure-white variety, and a bicolor or blue-and-white variety also, an excellent and showy plant, but barely so free-blooming as the species; and there is a rare dark-blue sort named Bowoodiana. Native of the Carpathian Mountains. Flowers from June till September.

C. cenisia (Mont Cenis C.)—This is a very diminutive plant, only 3 or 4 inches high, forming pretty little carpets of bright lilac-blue flowers, only one to each slender stalk. A very pretty and interesting plant, suitable mostly for rockwork in this country, but in sandy yet moderately rich soil it will succeed; also in the front of mixed borders. Flowers in July

and August. Native of very high stations on Mont Cenis and the Alps generally.

C. Elatines (Elatine C.)-This is a prostrate tufted plant, and in most parts it is clothed with downy hairs. The flowers, in loose racemes, are deeply cut into five lobes, and pale blue, appearing in June and July. Native of Piedmont, and best adapted for culture on rockwork in gritty loam.

C. fragilis, syn. C. diffusa (Brittle C.)-A tufted, diffuse, dwarf plant, forming dense patches of bright-green, roundishtoothed leaves, while those of the stems are broadly lanceshaped. The flowers are borne in loose, somewhat leafy racemes, are broadly bell-shaped and deeply divided, pale soft blue. A very hairy variety in nearly all its parts, named C. f. hirsuta, is peculiar in aspect, but not in any other respect different or superior to the species. Both are tender in heavy wet soils, but not so in those that are light, or sandy and dry; they are beautiful ornaments of rockwork. Native of Naples and Sicily.

C. garganica (Gargano C.)-Nearly related to the two last, and, like them, dwarf, diffuse, and tufted. The root-leaves are roundish, and deeply heart-shaped at the base; those above egg-shaped, and all toothed. Flowers in loose racemes ; azure blue, with a white eye; opening in May and June. The same treatment as the last two. Much may be done by introducing a few porous stones about the roots of these more susceptible alpine plants in open flat borders, to reconcile them to such positions; and where the soil is naturally wet, some elevation of the surface would at the same time be beneficial. Native of Istria and Monte Gargano.

C. glomerata (Cluster-flowered C.)-Grows about 2 feet high, with many flexuose, almost straggling stems, bearing terminal and axillary heads or dense clusters of flowers. The flowers are small individually, but collectively they form a large and effective inflorescence. The most common colour is deep purple or violet, and of this there is a double variety. But there is also a pure-white sort, single and double, that is very ornamental and desirable. The flowers last from June till September. Native of the south-eastern counties of Scotland and the greater part of England, and extends over most of Europe and Russian Asia. Fond of rather a dry sunny position and rich soil. The two forms generally regarded as species, named C. speciosa and C. cervicarioides, are very closely related to this, if not merely varieties. The first is mainly distinguished from glomerata by its larger individual flowers; and the second, by its taller and more straggling growth.