THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



249 



summer flowers in windows and in tlie 

 conservatory. We tried a circle of it 

 in pots in a clump consisting wliolly 

 of potted plants, and from the begin- 

 ning of September to the end of Oc- 

 tober it made a beautiful display of 

 its large corymbs of rosy pink flowers, 

 which are the more attractive from 

 being supported by an ample glaucous 

 foliage, the leaves on strong plants 

 averaging five inches in length and 

 two inches in width. We were 

 agreeably surprised on our visit to 

 the Eoyal Horticultural Gardens on 

 the occasion of the autumn show, on 

 the 9tli of September, to see it used 

 in the same way in the five noble jar- 

 dinets that adorn the main walk in 

 the great conservatory there, Mr. 

 Eyles having detected the value of 

 this sedum for decorative purposes, 

 and turned it to good account to 

 group with asters, and other late- 

 flowering plants adapted for masses. 



We are the more anxious to give 

 prominence to this sedum, because 

 our lists of plants flowering in Octo- 

 ber are meagre, and in all our great 

 towns the ordinary bedders have 

 usually run their race and lost their 

 beauty by the end of September, and 

 as the chrysanthemums are then 

 scarcely forward enough for display, 

 whatever can be used to fill up the 

 gap is to be valued, and grown ac- 

 cordingly. Sedum fabarium is a 

 strong grower, forming a stout stem, 

 on which is produced a terminal head 

 of pale rosy flowers. It can be pro- 

 pagated by cuttings in spring with 

 the greatest ease, and is not at all 

 particular about soil, provided the 

 pots in which it is grown are well 

 drained. In a rich sandy soil the 



heads of bloom will be large and well 

 coloured, but in a very poor soil, the 

 plant will be sure to bloom, though, of 

 course, with less vigour. It needs at 

 all times a sunny situation, and in 

 winter very little water. It is cer- 



SEDUM FABAKITTM. 



tainly a good companion to that most 

 elegant of all the hardy sedums, S. 

 Sieboldii, but, unlike that, grows 

 best in the open air all the summer, 

 whereas S. Sieboldii should be kept 

 under glass the whole year round. 



THE CULTURE AND EOECING OF LILY OF THE YALLET. 



The Convallaria majalis, or lily of 

 the valley, is an elegant and delicate 

 scented plant, which has long been 

 held a favourite ; though from the 

 circumstance of its not being a native 

 of hot countries, is not likely to be 

 the lily of the valley mentioned by 

 Solomon. Notwithstanding the fra- 



grance of the flowers when fresh, they 

 have when dried a narcotic odour ; 

 and if reduced to powder, will excite 

 sneezing. An extract prepared from 

 the flowers or from the roots, partakes 

 of the bitterness as well as of the 

 purgative properties of aloes. A 

 beautiful and durable green colour 



