Propagate by division and seed. Native of

and loam. Buenos Ayres. M. moschata (Musk-scented Mallow). This is an indigenous species, occurring frequently in dry gravelly places. It is rather a large-growing bushy plant, with erect stems, branching, if luxuriant, freely, with kidney-shaped lower leaves cut into blunt broad lobes; the upper ones are more deeply divided into narrower and sharper segments, which are again often divided. The flowers are large, rose-coloured, in crowds at the extremities of the stems and branches. There is a whiteflowered variety more common even in gardens than the rose one. Although not a select plant, this will be found very useful in larger collections, and would be valuable for introducing colour where wanted in semi-wild places, about parks, on the fringes of woods or shrubberies. The leaves, when pressed or rubbed, emit a faint odour of musk. Flowers in the summer months. Propagate by division and seeds, and if sown in pots in a cold frame early in March, will blossom the first season. Ordinary soil suits quite well.

There are other fine species of Mallows which have been in cultivation, but are at present lost, or very rare; most of the best, however, require some protection in winter, or are only fitted to exist in the mildest parts of Britain. Some of the finest of these are noted below:-M. campanulata, very distinct and handsome, with stalkless, almost pinnate, leaves and lilac bell-shaped flowers, produced continuously for months in summer. Native of Buenos Ayres. M. Munroana, the whole plant downy, with roundish heart-shaped leaves, the flowers scarlet, in crowded masses at the extremities of the stems and branches. Native of Columbia. M. Paxtoni, a fine species, with deeply-lobed leaves, and the flowers, red, crowded in leafy masses at the extremities of the stems. Native of Texas.

HYPERICINEÆ.

The typical genus of this natural order is the only one in which we may find plants of an herbaceous character, and ornamental. It is an extensive genus, abounding in highly ornamental shrubs and under-shrubs, and a few herbaceous perennial plants. The latter are, as just stated, few in number, nor are they generally so showy as some of the dwarf shrubby species; and as these are in many cases, by reason of their

low compact growth and showy flowers, fit to associate with herbaceous perennials, and are besides by their nature adapted to ornament woods, banks, and rocky places, in shade or sunshine, in any soil and every situation, there is no reason why we should not draw in our selection on them, while we select also the best of the herbaceous ones. Notwithstanding the large number of species comprised in the family, and the very generally beautiful and showy character of the flowers, only one or two of the St John's-worts are to be met with frequently in private places; and although they are more numerous about botanic gardens, it might be expected to see so fine and useful a genus more largely represented everywhere. The herbaceous species are propagated by seed and division in spring, the shrubby ones by both means and by cuttings in August or September, put thickly in rows in a well-dug border.

Hypericum Androsæmum (Tutsan St John's-wort).—This plant has a strong woody or shrubby base, but with annual or herbaceous flower-stems. These rise erect about 2 feet high in cultivation, generally branching somewhat. The leaves are bluntly egg-shaped and stalkless. The flowers are in terminal corymbs, clear yellow, and appear in June, lasting till late autumn. The plant is most useful for introducing into open woods and rough places elsewhere in any kind of soil. It is indigenous, but confined to western Britain and the south of England and Ireland.

H. calycinum (Large-flowered St John's-wort).—This species is also popularly named Rose of Sharon and Aaron's Beard, from the dense bundles and hair-like appearance of the filaments within the corolla. It is perhaps the handsomest species of the family. It grows a foot or 18 inches high, with numerous apparently simple stems, which, however, branch freely at the base, and are clothed with large oblong almost stalkless leaves, shining dark green. The flowers appear at the extremities of the stems, one or two together in weak plants; but in tolerably good soil the plant acquires more vigour, and the flowers increase proportionally both in size and numbers, reaching the great size of 3 or 4 inches across. They appear early in summer and last till late autumn. The plant is admirably adapted for forming margins to beds and borders of shrubs. It extends rapidly, and as it thrives and blooms almost as well in shade as in sunshine, it is fitted also for carpeting or covering under trees and in open woods; and on bald banks and rocks, where a little soil can be placed for it, it may be planted with every assurance of success. It is a naturalised plant in

this country, appearing in most of our floras as indigenous, but originally from southern Europe.

H. Elodes (Marsh St John's-wort).—This is a low creeping plant with diffuse stems, rooting at the base, but attaining a height of 6 or 9 inches before flowering. The leaves are woolly on both sides, roundish or kidney-shaped, and the flowers appear in cymes at the ends of the stems and branches, and are pale yellow. The species is found in boggy places in nature, and is useful for adorning wet banks. Flowers early and late in summer. It is indigenous, being abundant in the west of England and Wales and Ireland.

H. humifusum (Trailing St John's-wort).-This is a prostrate trailing plant, with freely-branching stems forming dense tufts about 6 inches high. The leaves are small, stalkless, oblong. The flowers, in terminal rather leafy panicles, pale yellow, appear from early summer till late autumn. To those who are acquainted with this little plant only as it appears in nature, the improvement in its appearance when under cultivation in good garden-soil will appear very marked. It is well worth a place in any collection, either as a rock or border plant. It is not uncommon in England and Ireland, but rare in Scotland, and affects a variety of very different habitats, from dry stony pastures to moist bogs.

H. linariifolium (Flax-leaved St John's-wort).—This is a pretty and distinct species. It grows rather erect, about 9 inches high, the stems rather thickly clothed with narrow oblong leaves. The flowers, in loose corymbs, are bright yellow, appear in June, and last throughout the summer. Adapted either to culture on rockwork or the front lines of mixed borders. A very rare native of Britain, being found only in one or two stations in South Wales.

H. nummularium (Money-leaved St John's-wort).—This is a dwarf creeping species, forming considerable tufted masses; the leaves are round or kidney-shaped. The flowers appear in summer, and last a month or two; they are bright yellow. Adapted for rockwork, the margins of shrubberies, and front lines of mixed borders.

H. patulum (Spreading St John's-wort).—This is a denselyspreading plant, between shrubby and herbaceous, with branching purplish stems about a foot in height, clothed with ovate lanceolate almost stalkless leaves, and bearing terminal cymes of yellow flowers, which appear in summer. Best adapted for naturalising, but suitable also for margins of shrubberies and rough rockwork. Native of Nepal.

H. perforatum (Common St John's-wort).-This is one of the

commonest of our British species, but not one of the least elegant and showy. It grows erect about 18 inches high, and forms leafy masses below, with numerous barren prostrate stems. The leaves are oblong, stalkless. The flowers appear in terminal corymbs in early summer, lasting till autumn, are bright yellow, the margins of the petals being marked with black dots. The plant is only suitable for rougher purposes, such as forming masses in woods.

In addition to these I would notice an elegant and distinct species from Spain, not now, I believe, in cultivation, but well worth looking after for rockwork. It is H. ericoides, a dwarf, somewhat diffuse shrub, with small glaucous heath-like leaves and graceful panicles of lively yellow flowers, small but numerous.

GERANIACEÆ.

A natural order, limited in genera, but very numerous in species. Nearly all the genera are well known in gardens, and, with the exception of Erodium, all are distinguished by the brilliancy and profusion of their flowers. Geranium and Erodium are, however, the only two that comprise species sufficiently hardy to live the year round in the open air in Britain. In Geranium we will find some handsome and showy plants adapted alike well to the border or rockwork, but such Erodiums as we have in cultivation do not rank high as ornamental plants; they are, however, interesting to those with botanical tastes, and therefore it will be proper to select such as will best illustrate the peculiar features of the family, and for that purpose very few will be required. It may not be amiss here to remark that the popular name Geranium, given to the various classes of Pelargonium grown so extensively for bedding and exhibition purposes, is erroneous; the two genera are quite distinct, and the most apparent distinction is, that while Geranium has regular flowers-that is, the five petals, equal in size and in no way oblique to the stalk-those of Pelargonium are unequal in size, and stand more or less oblique or eccentric.

Geranium (Cranesbill).-These are plants of easy culture, having no very strong preference for any particular soil, but are least troublesome and flower best in that which is light, rich, and moderately dry. They are kept in best dress by being occasionally lifted, trimmed, and replanted, and if returned to the same place, should be treated to a little fresh soil.

Propagate by division and seed, the former in early autumn, the latter in spring, in a cold frame or warm spot out of doors.

G. argenteum (Silvery Cranesbill).-A very dwarf plant, forming compact silvery tufts of 7-lobed leaves, the lobes deeply toothed. The flowers are borne on stalks 3 to 6 inches high, two or three together, are comparatively large, and delicate rose-colour. It forms an interesting and pretty ornament of rockwork in sunny positions, and is hardy enough for culture in most parts of the country; liable, however, to perish under prolonged damp in winter. Flowers in early summer, continuing for a couple of months. Native of the Pyrenees and other parts of southern Europe.

G. cinereum (Ash-grey Cranesbill).-This species grows about 6 inches high, and resembles the last somewhat in habit, but is a larger plant, has the leaves not so deeply lobed, and the pubescent covering is not so silvery. The flowers, a few together on a stalk, but freely produced, are pale pink, the petals finely penciled with deeper red. Flowers in summer pretty continuously for a month or two; suitable for rockwork or mixed border in well-drained soil. Native of the Pyrenees. G. pratense (Crowfoot-leaved Cranesbill).-This is an indigenous plant, found in many localities of England and Scotland. It grows rather erect, about 18 inches high, with downy stems and leaves. The leaves are deeply cut into seven acute segments, which are again cut and toothed. The flowers are borne in loose few-flowered panicles, on rather long stalks at the tops of the stems; they are deep blue or purplish blue, and appear in May, June, and July. This is a handsome plant, well deserving a place in even select borders, especially in the shape of its double and white-flowered varieties. Accommodates itself to any ordinarily dry garden-soil.

G. sanguineum (Bloody Cranesbill).-This is another native of Britain. It grows I foot or more high, with spreading, almost trailing, and much-intertwined stems, forming in welldeveloped plants finely-rounded masses about 2 feet wide. The leaves are roundish or kidney-shaped, much and deeply divided. The flowers grow singly on long slender stalks, are large, dark red or purple, and appear in greater or less profusion throughout summer and autumn. The plant is hand

some, and is a good ornament for second or third lines in mixed borders, and along with the last would form excellent clothing for dry bare banks. The variety G. s. lancastriense, which is published in some floras as a species under that name, is even more handsome than the type, being more compact, and the flowers rose or flesh coloured. In nature it appears to be