504 THE GARDENER. [Nov. 



NOTES OW HARDY FLOWERS. 



Asclepias tuberosa {tuherous-rooted Sioallow-icort). — This is one 

 of the best of a very interesting and useful genus of hardy herbaceous 

 plants. The swallow-worts are not often seen in flower-borders, yet 

 they are well entitled to a place in them. They are not conspicuously 

 showy plants, but far removed from being weedy; and the interesting 

 structure of the flowers is a study in itself, and calculated to attract 

 the thoughtful. All the hardy sorts are easily cultivated in ordinary 

 garden -soil, but nearly all prefer a dry to a wet bottom. The sort 

 immediately before us is particular in this respect, as it is very sus- 

 ceptible of injury from wet in winter. It grows about 18 inches high, 

 with hairy, dusky -brown or reddish-brown stems. The leaves are 

 alternate in the lower part of the stem, and opposite in pairs or in 

 fours in the upper part. The flowers are bright orange-red, in ter- 

 minal and axillary umbellate clusters at the extremities of the stems ; 

 they appear in July and continue till September. It is increased by 

 division in spring, or in very early autumn, so as to give the divisions 

 a chance of establishing themselves before winter sets in. It is most 

 quickly increased by seed, which ripen in warm localities freely enough, 

 and which should be sown as soon as ripe in sandy loam, in a cold 

 frame, and they will germinate the following spring. Native of North 

 America. 



Pancratium illyricum. — This is a choice hardy border-bulb, rarely 

 met with in collections of hardy flowers. It has a large black-skinned 

 bulb, emitting many strong fleshy fibres. The leaves are about 18 

 inches long and 2 J inches broad, and grey- green. The flower-stems 

 are from 18 inches to 2 feet high, and are surmounted by an umbel of 

 beautiful, pure-white 6-parted flowers, with a white, semi-transparent 

 1 2-cleft crown and conspicuously long stamens, also white. It flowers 

 in June and July. Native of the south of Europe. 



P. maritimum. — This is very similar in the character of the flowers 

 to the last, and is in every way a very desirable plant to cultivate. 

 The leaves are dark green, and shorter and narrower than in the last. 

 A dry warm soil is necessary for both sorts, and it should also be deep. 

 The last species is scarcely fit for culture out of doors in the north, 

 except in the warmest localities, and both are the better for being 

 protected during winter by a mound of tan or cinders, laid over the 

 spots they occupy to exclude frost. Increase by removing the ofi'sets, 

 which are produced in moderate quantity, and by seeds, which both 

 produce in favourable localities. The latter should be sown as soon 

 as they are ripe in heat, and the former should be pricked into rich 

 sandy loam and peat in nursing-beds early in spring or in autumn 



