in all essential points, although available for the production of distinct effects in gardens. The white variety appears to be the normal condition of the species, but as the two sorts vary in nothing else but colour, the description of the one will apply to the other in all except the point of colour.

Dictamnus albus.-The stems rise stout and erect about 2 feet high; the leaves are pinnate, with small oval leaflets clothing the stems from the root upwards to the base of the raceme or spike of pretty creamy-white flowers, or in the case of the red variety, dark coral red. It succeeds best in rich, deep, but dry loam, and is a very handsome border plant. Propagate by division or seed. Flowers in early spring. Native of many parts of southern Europe.

LEGUMINOSE (PEA-FLOWERS).

This is a very extensive family, being, after Composite, the most numerous group of flowering-plants; and they are abundantly spread over the whole world. It comprises many beautiful subjects; but unfortunately for our purpose the most brilliant are natives of the tropics, and consequently unavailable for adorning our gardens in the open air—a fact, however, the less to be regretted when we compare the duration of the flowers of the gorgeous tropical species with that of those of temperate and northern climes. Many of them burst, meteor-like, and are gone; but our less gorgeous hardy ones last in many cases for months on end. Lathyrus, Lupinus, and Orobus are perhaps the most showy genera, taken all in all, among the hardy ones; but in most of those that comprise perennial species we will find pickings worthy of selection, and more extended use in flower-gardens than they are at present favoured with.

Anthyllis (Kidney Vetch).-This genus contains few species. They bear some superficial resemblance to Astragalus, and in cultivation require the same treatment; botanically, however, they are very distinct. In these the inflorescence is usually capitate, rarely spicate, or racemose; and under the heads of flowers there is a more or less conspicuous leafy bract. Besides the very few herbaceous species, there are several lowgrowing shrubs, such as A. barba-jovis and A. cytisoides, adapted for culture in favoured localities in Britain, on the coasts, on rockwork, or in collections of dwarf shrubs; and they are pretty and interesting, but not fit to associate with hardy herbaceous plants. The genus is mainly European.

A. montana (Mountain Kidney Vetch) is about 6 inches high, of trailing but compact and somewhat tufted habit, with fine pinnate hairy leaves and dense heads of pink flowers, which appear in May and throughout June and July. It is a very choice little rockery plant. There is a white-flowered variety very desirable but rare. Native of the south of Europe, chiefly the Alps and Apennines.

A. vulneraria.—This is our native Woundwort, and is an excellent type of the genus. Like the preceding, it is prostrate in growth and trailing, and is usually densely clothed with soft silky hairs. It is rather variable in the colour of its flowers, varying in different individuals from pale yellow to red; and occasionally in the same individual these variations are noticeable. There is a permanent variety with creamy-white flowers, and another with dark-red flowers, which are desirable but

rare.

The two forms seen sometimes in Continental catalogues under the names A. Dillenii and A. polyphylla, if not mere varieties, are too much like the last in appearance to merit a place in any but botanical collections; and it may be thought by many whose acquaintance of vulneraria has been made in its native haunts that the same remark applies to it; but it improves much in cultivation, and is well worth a place where the collection is extensive.

Astragalus (Milk-Vetch).—This group of Pea-flowers is a most numerous one, comprising as it does upwards of a hundred species, and its geographical range is very extensive—almost universal. The species are spread in greater or less abundance over the central and northern parts of Europe and western Asia, and in the rocky hot districts of the region of the Mediterranean they are abundant, while across the Atlantic they are distributed from the southern slopes of the Andes throughout the country northwards, and advance far into the arctic regions. The value of the family for the purposes of decoration is, considering the large number of species, not high. A very large proportion of the species are alpine plants, pretty in many cases, but generally more curious than pretty, which, under ordinary out-of-doors cultivation, prove in many places. unmanageable. A few are remarkable for singularity of appearOf these the most notable is A. tragacantha, the petioles or leaf-stalks of which are persistent, and adhere to the branches long after the leaves have fallen, and become hard and spinelike; and as they are numerous, dense, and long, the plant has a rather forbidding, touch-me-not look about it. The more ornamental sorts may be cultivated either on the rock

ance.

work or in the open border. They succeed best in light rich loam, but thrive well in most garden-soils, unless exceedingly stiff and wet. None of them like frequent removals, and when doing well they should not be frequently disturbed. Propagate by division, by cuttings when they can be got, and by seed; but division is in some cases not a very safe process; therefore, if cuttings cannot be had, seed should be preferred, and they are produced in such abundance usually as to meet any ordinary demand of increase.

A. alpinus, syn. Phaca alpina (Alpine Milk-Vetch).—This is a very distinct species. It is prostrate, with branching stems clothed with pinnate hairy leaves; the flowers, in short dense racemes, on which they droop from apex to base, are bluish purple, sometimes tipped with white, and appear throughout the summer. It is decidedly an alpine plant, and thrives best on rockwork in cultivation. It is a native of North Britain, but rare, being found only on the Clova and Braemar mountains, but it is more common on the mountains of central and northern Europe and western Asia.

A. hypoglottis (Purple Milk-Vetch).—This is a very dwarf prostrate plant, with slightly-spreading stems clothed with pinnate leaves somewhat hairy. The flowers are pale or bluish purple, in short head-like spikes on slender prostrate footstalks, and appear in summer. It succeeds best on rockwork, but in dry light soil it may also be cultivated in the mixed border where the drainage is good. Native of Europe, Asia, and North America. There is a white variety well worthy of a place as a companion and contrast to the species.

A. leontinus (Lion's-tail Milk - Vetch).—This is somewhat more luxuriant and robust in growth than the last, but still prostrate. The leaves are of the same character, but more hairy. The flowers are cream-coloured, in dense prostrate spikes. They appear in May and June. It succeeds in any tolerably sunny position in the border or rockwork. Native of the Alps of Austria.

A. monspessulanus (Montpelier Milk-Vetch).—This is perhaps the most ornamental of all the Milk-Vetches we have in cultivation. It rarely rises more than 9 inches above ground, and it presents a very neat dressy appearance throughout the summer. The branches are almost prostrate at the base, and are clothed with handsome, hairy, pinnate leaves. The flowers, in dense prostrate racemes, are bright reddish purple, and appear in June, July, and August. It is a choice plant, and succeeds well in either border or rockwork, and there is an important whiteflowered variety. Native of central and southern Europe.

G

A. Onobrychis (Purple-spiked Milk-Vetch).-This is a taller and more elegant plant than either of the preceding, reaching the height of a foot or 18 inches. The flowers are purple, in dense spikes, and are produced in June, July, and August. It is very suitable for the mixed border, and is also desirable for the rockwork. Native of Austria and near Provence.

A. purpureus (Purple-headed Milk-Vetch). This species is nearly related to leontinus, but differs from it mainly so far as our object is concerned in the colour of the flowers, which are bright purple, and from Onobrychis, to which also it is related, in the form of the heads of flowers, which are in close globose heads, not spikes. Native of the Alps of Provence, Nice, and the south Tyrol. Flowers in June, July, and August, and suitable alike for the border and rockwork.

Baptisia. This is a genus of North American hardy perennials, comprising few species, and of which only two or three are in cultivation; but as they are in very close resemblance to each other, it is the less to be regretted that we have only few to commend. They are plants of most easy culture, thriving in any soil if moderately well drained. They are easily propagated by division and by seed, which they ripen freely in this country. They are only suitable for culture in the mixed border, being rather too gross in habit for the rockwork; and they might be used on sunny banks in half-kept parts of parks and grounds, and on the margins of shrubberies where rabbits do not abound.

B. alba (White B.)—This plant grows erect about 2 or 21⁄2 feet high. The leaves clothe the stems rather densely, are dark green and trifoliate; the leaflets are oval. The flowers are white, appearing in small but numerous racemes on the upper parts of the stems. They appear in summer, and last about two months.

B. australis (Blue B.)—This is very near in character to the last. The height and habit are the same. The leaflets are, however, lance-shaped; and the more important floricultural distinction of blue flowers renders this at once desirable as a companion to the other, especially as they flower, and the flowers endure, about the same time.

B. tinctoria (Dyer's B.)—This is very distinct from the others, being more dwarf and slender. The leaves are also trifoliate, but the leaflets are roundish, and clothe the stems more sparingly. The flowers are yellow, in small loose racemes at the tops of the stems, and appear about the same time as the others, but last fully a month longer. Height about 1/2 foot.

Coronilla. This is a small family, containing a few species

of considerable beauty. The genus is chiefly European. Two species, C. cretica with scarlet flowers, and C. securidaca-now known as Securigera coronilla-with yellow flowers, are oldfashioned but pretty hardy annuals; seven or eight are dwarf, handsome, hardy, or half-hardy shrubs, and the remainder are ornamental herbaceous plants with somewhat woody stems and very generally procumbent or trailing habit of growth; in some species also evergreen. As a rule they object to being moved about: when well established they should be left undisturbed, unless necessity steps in and orders it otherwise. They prefer a light, dry, rather sandy loam. They may be increased. by division, cuttings, and seed—the former method is best done early in spring, before growth commences; the cuttings should be taken before the shoots harden too much or run too much to flower, and be inserted in sand and loam on a spent hotbed or in a cold frame; the seed is best sown in slight heat in March, transplanting and hardening off as early as possible.

C. iberica (Iberian C.)—This species grows 6 or 8 inches high, with procumbent almost trailing stems, woody below, but herbaceous above. The leaves are pinnate, with nine bluntlyobcordate leaflets. The flowers are yellow, produced in small but numerous compact heads, and appear in July and August. Native of Iberia. Best adapted for culture on rockwork.

C. minima (the smallest C.)-This is a very diminutive but ornamental species. The stems are prostrate and evergreen; the leaves are pinnate, with nine milky-green egg-shaped leaflets. The flowers are yellow, in small but numerous heads, and appear in June, lasting for about two months. It is a choice little plant, beautiful for either rockwork or border where the soil is light, dry, and moderately rich. Native of various countries of Europe, chiefly the south, where it inhabits upland pastures and dry rocky places on the mountains.

C. montana (Mountain C.)—This is more distinctly herbaceous than the two foregoing species, and a contrast to both in its style of growth. It rises rather erect, with unbranching stems. The leaves are composed of about seven egg-shaped milky-green leaflets. The flowers are yellow, in close umbellate heads, appearing in June, and lasting a few weeks. Best adapted, from its luxuriant growth, to culture in the mixed. border, and accommodates itself to any kind of soil, if not very wet. Height about 11⁄2 foot. Native of eastern Germany, Jura Mountains.

C. varia (Variable C.)-This is the finest of the hardy herbaceous sorts, and is a charming plant, of prostrate, almost creeping, habit of growth. It reaches the height of about a