SN-Vr- DRAGON. 103 



This plant produces its flowers on a spike, but 

 tlie whole of them fronting one way, which is ge- 

 nerally to the sun ; and as it gives out numerous 

 branches from two to three feet in height, it be- 

 comes highly ornamental, particularly amongst 

 dwarf shrubs. The colours of these flowers are 

 numerous, consisting of all the shades of a rich 

 orange and yellow down to white, with the same 

 varieties in reds and purple, and an endless change 

 of party colours, the most esteemed of which is that 

 with a gold-coloured throat, and a dark crimson 

 mouth and lips. 



The Snap-Dragon grows naturally in the South 

 of Europe ; and as it is frequently found on the 

 cliff's of Dover, is now classed as one of the na- 

 tive plants of England, although it is generally 

 , supposed not to have been originally belonging to 

 our soil. 



These plants love a light soil and an open sunny 

 situation, but when transplanted into a rich and 

 moist earth they produce larger flowers, though the 

 plant generally dies in the winter, whilst those that 

 grow on a dry or rocky soil continue for several 

 years. They are easily raised from seed, which 

 should be sown in April, and it may be increased 

 also by cuttings if planted during the summer 

 months. When intended to ornament rock-work, 

 the seeds should be scattered both in the autumn 



