THE FLORAL WORLD 



AND 



GARDEN GUIDE. 



FEBRUARY, 1869. 



HERBACEOUS SPIKyEAS. 



"WITH FIGURE OF SPIK^A PALMATA. 



$HIS beautiful and interesting genus is divided into about an 

 equal number of hardy sbrubs and herbaceous perennials, 

 and it is to tbe last-mentioned tbat we are now desirous 

 of calling attention. We suppose tbat most of our 

 readers are acquainted with the beautiful Meadow- 

 sweet, or QueeD of tbe Meadow (8. ulmaria), which is commonly 

 met with in moist, shady positions, such for instance as by tbe sides 

 of pools and streams. It is to the class of wbicb tbe meadow- 

 sweet is a type that the beautiful species wbicb we now have tbo 

 pleasure of figuring belongs. Notwithstanding tbe fact of S. 

 nlmaria being very common, it is without doubt one of the best 

 border plants we have, when grown under conditions similar to 

 those which it enjoys iu its native haunts. None who have once 

 seen can ever forget this plant, with its immense heads of white 

 foamy flowers that fill the air for some distance around with a spicy 

 hawthorn fragrance — 



" Each dry entangled copse empurpled glows 

 With orchis blooms ; while in the moistened plain 

 The meadow-sweet its luscious fragrance yields." 



One of the shrubby species, 8. Jii/jwicifolia, " Italian May," is 

 a native of Italy, where it is abont as common as our hawthorn is 

 in this country. And another species, S. ckanicedrifolia, is equally 

 common in Siberia, where it is put to a variety of uses, such as 

 making tea with the leaves, and tobacco pipes with the dried stems. 

 In former times the Spiraeas were much used for forming garlands 

 for the head of the bride at marriage festivals, a purpose for which 

 their flexible stems eminently fitted them. We have merely glanced 

 at one or two points connected with the history of this genus, just 

 to show that it is not utterly destitute of historical associations, or 

 incapable of being put to economical uses ; but it is not our inten- 

 VOL. it. — NO. II. 3 



