SAXIFRAGE. 2Gj 



age of critical inquiry and medical investigation, the 

 plant is found not to possess the dissolving qualities 

 formerly attributed to it. It is, however, known 

 to be a powerful diuretic, that carries off gravelly 

 substances ; but this valuable property of the Saxi- 

 frage exists only in the fresh plant, though the 

 dried roots or tubercles retain it in an inferior 

 degree. The Saxifrage of our country is said to 

 be the most powerful in medicine, and the kinds in 

 highest estimation are the white, or sengreen, gran- 

 clulata, of the meadows, and the yellow marsh, 

 Hirculus, of the bogs. The latter is a more gentle 

 medicine in its effects, and therefore not so fre- 

 quently used. 



As an ornament to the vernal garden we shall 

 recommend the purple-flowered Saxi/raga oppositi- 

 folia, which, under cultivation, expands its purple 

 flowers to the winds of March and the showers of 

 April. The stems of this species are long and 

 trailing, and form tufts that have a good effect on 

 artificial rock-work, but a far better one when the 

 trailing branches hang down from natural rocks, 

 into the crevices of which this plant loves to insinu- 

 ate its roots. As a border- plant the following 

 method of treating it is recommended by Miller. 

 " At the end of March divide a plant that has filled 

 a pot the preceding year, into many small pieces, 



vol i. k 



