18C9. ] THE CULTIVATION OF ALPINE PLANTS. 69 



things as the foregoing, with dwarf shrubs like Andromeda tetragona and 

 fastigiata, the Menziesias, and Gaultheria procumbens (such things in peat soil, 

 of course), the choicer Helianthemurns, Acantholiinons and dwarf Phloxes, like 

 verna and subulata, neat dwarf exhibition plants, might be provided pretty 

 enough to satisfy even the most fastidious growers of New Holland plants. 



Of course, no one with the slightest knowledge of gardening would read, if I 

 attempted to write down, how to grow such free-growing plants as the Aubrietias 

 and the like ; and yet to have them in perfect condition for showing, they ought 

 to be prepared in time, so as to secure well-furnished plants. Such vigorous subjects, 

 to merit the character of being well-grown, should fall luxuriously over the edge of 

 the pots, and in all cases as much as possible of the crockeryware should be 

 hidden. The dwarf and spreading habit of many of this class of plants would 

 render this a matter of no difficulty. In some cases it would be desirable to put a 

 lot of cuttings or young rooted plants into 6-in. pots, so as to form specimens 

 more quickly. Pots of 6-in. diameter suit well for growing many subjects of this 

 intermediate type ; and with good culture, and a little liquid manure, it would be 

 quite possible to get a large development of plant in such a comparatively small 

 pot, but if very large specimens were desired, a size larger might be resorted to. 



To descend from the type that seems to present the greatest number of neat 

 and attractive flowering plants to the cultivator, we come to deal with the dwarf 

 race of hardy succulents, and the numerous minute Alpine Plants that associate 

 with them in size — a class rich in merit and strong in numbers. These should, 

 as a rule, be grown and shown in pans : they are often so pretty and singular in 

 aspect, as in the cases of the little silvery Saxifragas, that they will be attractive 

 even when out of flower, while the flowers are none the less beautiful because 

 the leaves happen to be decorated in an unusual way. Many of the same type, 

 as Erpetion reniforme and Mazus Pumilio, must be shown in good flower. All 

 these little plants are of the readiest crdture, in pans, with good drainage, and 

 light soil. Of course the ready way to form good specimens of the most diminu- 

 tive, is to dot young plants all over the surface of the pot or pan at once. 



We have next to ascend to the larger type of Alpine and Herbaceous Plants, 

 beginning with such as the Aquilegias, and rising to the finer Phloxes, Pent- 

 stemons, &c. These have not yet, any more than the preceding classes, been seen 

 at our shows in anything approaching to proper condition, though the cultivator 

 who can grow a good specimen of the Chrysanthemum should have no difficulty 

 with them. The will, and the place, and a little timely preparation, are all the 

 requisites ; but as the grower of the most quickly-raised specimen of a soft- 

 wooded plant, must devote thought to his work at least twelve months before he 

 stages his plants, so must he who wishes to succeed with the chief beauties of 

 the hardy class, prepare in time. Indeed, to the plantsman that is all that need 

 be said. In this group, larger pots and richer feeding will be necessary. 



In each of these classes the great majority of the plants will be found as 



