the Common Thyme, which is familiar to everybody. T. lanuginosus, a pretty and attractive little plant, with the habit and leaves of T. Serpyllum, the Wild Thyme, but densely clothed with woolly hair in nearly every part, is very desirable, and may be grown easily in any dry sunny position. The Lemon Thyme and the variegated garden Thyme are not uncommon, but desirable sorts; and of species less frequently seen in cultivation the following are also worthy of use for the purposes indicated: -T. angustifolius, corsicus, Cephalotus, and azoricus.

VERBENACEÆ.

Zapania nodiflora, syns. Lippia nodiflora and Verbena nodiflora (Knot-flowered Z.)—This pretty little plant is worthy of a place amongst alpine plants on rockwork, or in warm sunny borders, in light, rich, sandy, well-drained soil. It is scarcely hardy in the north. It increases freely by division of its creeping stems. The plant forms closely-creeping patches of stems. The leaves are wedge-shaped. The flowers are small individually, and arranged in small conical button-like heads, and are pale purple. Native of America.

ACANTHACEÆ.

Acanthus (Bear's-Breech). These are fine-leaved plants, and as such worthy of a place in every collection of hardy plants. In warm sheltered places, in good, deep, well-drained soil, they may be naturalised in many parts of the country, but this will scarcely be advisable in cold northern localities. They like a deep good loam to grow in, and are propagated by division of the roots, and by seed.

A. mollis (Soft Bear's-Breech).—This plant is supposed to have furnished the idea of the acanthus leaf of Corinthian architecture. The plant produces large masses of soft wavy lobed leaves. The flower-stems rise 2 or 3 feet high, bearing numerous purple-and-white flowers in bracteated spikes. They appear in July, and last a couple of months. Native of the coasts of

the Mediterranean.

A. spinosissimus (White-spined Bear's-Breech).-In this

species the leaves are much cut and lobed, and more rigid than the last, and the lobes each terminate in stout white spines. The flowers are in the same manner and colour as the last species. A native of warm parts of the south of Europe. The species spinosus and longifolius are intermediate in different degrees between the two described, and are from similar localities.

PRIMULACEÆ.

This is one of the best known and most cherished of those orders that contain hardy subjects. Some of the species, especially of Primula, are most familiar plants, and are mingled with the earliest and most sunny impressions of our childhood. The Cowslip and Primrose are amongst the earliest of spring flowers, and are welcomed by old and young everywhere; but perhaps to the young they are most welcome, after the dreary flowerless blank of winter. There are many alpine plants comprised in the order, which cannot be cultivated in the majority of localities without the advantage of rockwork, or the protection of frames in winter,-being either impatient of the winter humidity of our climate, or their flowers appear too early in our variable springs to be enjoyable. But there are also many beautiful plants, early flowering too, which are adapted to weather our worst spring blasts, or showers, or frosts, and which flower boldly and well under most discouraging circumstances. The culture of most of the genera, though in some points the same, will be best left for consideration under each subject as it comes up in the progress of selection; and all that it is necessary to add here is, that if the mode of propagation, when that operation is necessary, should be by seed, it should be sown at once when ripe. The seed of nearly all the Primulacea is slow to germinate, especially if kept in dry store for some months after it is ripe. The end in view will be attained, therefore, in shorter time if the seed is committed to the soil as soon as it is gathered.

Androsace. This is one of the prettiest of the genera of Primulacea, and a most interesting group of alpine plants. Several of the species are annual, others are biennial, but the greater number are perennial, and all are rather difficult to keep under ordinary conditions near the sea-level. They are all strictly alpine plants, and are hardy enough to resist successfully the severest temperature we are liable to in this

climate; but a moist stagnant atmosphere they cannot endure. Abundant moisture at the roots is delighted in by all the species, provided the drainage be good and the soil open and porous; but the foliage of all the densely-hairy species at least should be kept dry in winter and protected from battering rains. The soil should be open fibrous peat and loam, in about equal parts, and should be well sharpened up with gritty sand; and in the case of two or three species a little pounded limestone will be found advantageous, and is even delighted in by all. Some may be readily propagated by division, carefully done in early autumn or spring; a few of the larger-growing species may be increased easily by cuttings inserted in very sandy peat and loam, in early autumn, in a cold frame in welldrained pots, in which they must be kept for the winter; and all may be raised from seed sown in pots in a cold frame, taking care to exercise patience if they do not immediately appear. It is the most troublesome way of increasing stock of these pretty plants, but often the only way, especially when new sorts are being added to the collection; if in that case the seed, as is most likely, is procured from the seedmen, it is well to defer sowing till spring.

A. carnea (Rose-coloured A.)-One of the earliest-flowering, though not the most handsome of the group. It forms lowly tufted masses 2 or 3 inches high. The stems and branches are clothed with narrow, awl-shaped leaves, crowded into thin, open rosettes near the points, and scattered thinly elsewhere; and the stems and leaves are downy. The flowers are borne in pretty little umbels at the extremities of the stems and branches, and are rose or pink, with yellow tubes; they appear in April and May or June. Native of the Vosges, the Alps, and Pyrenees.

A. Chamæ-jasme (Bastard-Jasmin).—This species, from the Alps, generally grows about 4 or 5 inches high, with weakly, trailing branches, bearing a few small lanceolate leaves at the extremities; leaves and branches alike covered with long, spreading, silky hairs. The flowers are white, changing to pink, with yellow, often red, eyes, and are produced in small dense umbels about June, and continue till August.

A. ciliata (Fringed A.)—This is one of the prettiest of the family. It is a lowly plant, with weak, rather thinly-spreading stems, clothed with oblong, lance-shaped leaves, fringed with conspicuous grey hairs. The flowers are not, as in the last, borne in umbels, but singly on longish stalks; and are purplish rose, with a darker centre. Flowers about June and July. Native of the Pyrenees.

A. helvetica (Swiss A.)-This species forms close cushionlike masses 1 or 2 inches high. The leaves are hairy, bluntly lance-shaped, and densely clothe the extremities of the short stems in small rosettes. The flowers are borne singly on the shortest of stalks, are pure white, and appear in July and August. Native of the Alps and Pyrenees.

A. lactea (Milk-white A.)-A pretty tufted species, growing 2 or 3 inches high. The leaves, in rosettes, are narrow, lanceshaped, smooth, and dark green, but fringed at the tips. The flowers are large, white, in umbels on erect stalks, appearing in June and July. Native of the Alps.

A. lanuginosa (Woolly A.)-A rather loose, trailing plant, usually more bulky in all its parts than the European species. The leaves are oval, lance-shaped, and densely clothed with silky white close-lying hairs. The flowers, in small loose umbels, are large individually, are bright pink with a yellow eye, and appear in June, July, and August. In warm dry soils this species succeeds well in the open border, but in summer requires abundant supplies of water; and when tried in this way there should always be a pot of cuttings struck in early autumn to provide against loss. Native of the Himalayas.

A. pubescens (Downy A.)—A closely-tufted species. The leaves are arranged in small rosettes, are linear, or widening somewhat upwards, and fringed with hairs. The flowers are borne singly, on short stalks, at the extremities of the shoots; and are pure white with a yellow centre. Flowers in June and July. Native of the Pyrenees and mountains of Dauphiny.

A. villosa (Shaggy A.)—A very pretty and distinct plant, and one of the smallest of the perennial species. It grows in close tufts, a few inches broad. The leaves are arranged in small rosettes, and are very narrow, oblong, and densely clothed with comparatively long, grey, silky hairs. The flowers, in small umbels, are pure white, with yellow or red centres. Found often in company with the last, and inhabiting the same countries generally. Flowers in June and July.

Aretia. This genus is nearly allied to the last, and the species which most commonly represents it in cultivation often bears the generic name Androsace and Gregoria, but chiefly amongst botanists, for it is best known to gardeners by the name here adopted. It requires the same treatment in all respects as the Androsaces.

A. Vitaliana (Vital's A.)—A very pretty and distinct plant, prostrate in habit, with numerous stems clothed with linear acute leaves. The flowers are yellow and numerous; they

appear in May and June. It forms a very beautiful object on rockwork, and is not so difficult to manage as some of the Androsaces. Native of the Alps, Pyrenees, and the Abruzzi.

Cortusa (Bear's-ear Sanicle) embraces only one species, the C. Matthioli. It is near akin to Primula, and in general appearance and habit of growth resembles some of the species of that family. It is found, in company with several of the alpine Primulas, inhabiting moist valleys at high elevations on the Alps of Italy and neighbouring countries, and is therefore best adapted for cultivating on rockwork, where partial shade and abundant moisture can be given it in the growing season. In warm sheltered situations, where moisture abounds in the atmosphere and the soil is naturally or artificially well drained, it may succeed in the open ground; but there are very few places in this country where these conditions exist in the degree necessary to the wellbeing of this little plant. It will therefore be safer to keep it on rockwork, of which it is more characteristic than the open dressed border, and in cold wet localities less or more of it should be kept in pots and wintered in a cold dry frame to provide against loss of stock. Rich loam, or a little peat and loam, with a liberal allowance of sharp sand, forms a congenial compost. Whether in pots or otherwise, it must be remembered that ample drainage should be provided, and copious supplies of water during the time it is making growth. Propagate by seeds and division, the latter immediately after flowering or in early autumn. It is rather a handsome little plant, with nothing very showy either in the mass or colour of the flowers, but will always be interesting to those who take a delight in the simple beauty of alpine plants. The leaves are nearly round, heart-shaped at the base, very slightly lobed, and sharply toothed. The flower-stems are

about 6 or 8 inches high, terminating in a small loose umbel of few small bright red flowers on drooping foot-stalks; the corolla is slightly bell-shaped, and deeply divided in five segments. Flowers in April, May, and June.

Cyclamen (Sowbread).—There is perhaps no more attractive group in the whole range of alpine plants than that comprised in this genus. They are all neat and dwarf in habit; all have foliage of pretty form; and the flowers, in every case beautiful, are in some exquisitely so. They are mostly spring-blooming plants-so early, indeed, that in our fitful climate their beauties are rarely enjoyed out of doors; but cultivated in pots they are well adapted for the decoration of rooms, the conservatory, or greenhouse; and for choice cut flowers, the fine colours, peculiar and beautiful form, and, in the case of some sorts, the deli