I873-] NOTES ON HARDY FLOWERS. 307 



•wards to air and light gradually. Or the shoots may be laid in the 

 same way as Strawberry runners are laid, covering the base of the 

 leafy extremity with sandy soil. Towards autumn the layers and 

 shoots may be planted out in their permanent places. They are plants 

 by no means often seen in private gardens, but from their free-bloom- 

 ing quality, pretty flowers, and neat habit, it may be said they only 

 require to be better known to be more generally grown. Their 

 flowers are very persistent, and consequently last long. 



E. cojnposUum. — This species reaches the height of about 9 inches, 

 growing in rather flat masses. The leaves are evergreen and ovate, 

 with a heart-shaped base, clothed with grey down beneath. The 

 flowers are numerous and small, in compound umbels on simple stalks, 

 rising well above the foliage, yellowish white, appearing in June. 



E. sericeum. — Rather a smaller-growing species than the last. The 

 leaves are ovate, hoary, with close-lying silky hairs above and below, 

 the under side being very densely covered therewith. Flowers 9 inches 

 high in umbels, yellowish, opening in June. 



E. umhellatum. — Similar in habit to both the preceding, and in 

 foliage also, but deeper yellow in the flowers, which open about a fort- 

 night later than the foregoing ; the prettiest, best, and newest of the 

 group. 



Ranunculus pmiiasskefoJius. — This is a rather rare species from the 

 south of Europe, very pretty and interesting, hardly ornamental enough 

 to find favour with those who derive their gratification from floral dis- 

 play merely, but on rockwork or in pots always pleasing to the admirer 

 of simple flowers. It succeeds best in peaty soil, or in leaf-mould and 

 loam, the latter in the proportion of a third of the former, well drained, 

 but moist. It forms a handsome plant of compact growth, with the 

 leaves mostly radical, a few only being developed on the stems where 

 they branch. The root-leaves are roundly egg-shaped, very dark, 

 shining green, those of the stem are broadly lance-shaped. The 

 flowers are large relatively to the other parts, pure white, and open in 

 July. 



R. cortuscefolius. — This, like the last, is rarely seen in cultivation. 

 Though a very handsome species, it is not enduring enough to be 

 placed among the more ornamental hardy flowers in any arrangement 

 where a continuous display of colour is required to be kept up. Its 

 most proper place is on the rockwork, in moist, rich loam, where it 

 forms very interesting and showy tufts of handsome leaves and large 

 bright yellow flowers. 



Dracocephalum. — Several species of this fine genus are admirable 

 subjects for ornamental borders of hardy flowers. They are profuse- 

 blooming, showy plants, which should be in every good selection of 



