SPIGELIA MARILANDICA. 



and ending iii abundance of bright scarlet mallows from May to 

 mber. It is a thing to propagate by seeds or division, and to plant 

 only in the hottest and most sheltered faces, high up on the ledges 

 of the largest and sunniest rockwork, where it can send its roots deep 

 and deep into very light and perfectly-drained soil, while its branches 

 continue to flap and Hop their weakly length over the cliffs, and clothe 

 t] e lodges in their slack and scarlet -fingered embrace. 



Spigelia marilandica has boon much served ; on account , one 

 supposes, of its difficulty. For, when at last successfully achieved, 

 in the bog treatment accorded to Gentiana asclepiadea, its effect is 

 not brilliant in England (whatever may be its beauties in Maryland), 

 when up comes the stem of a foot high or so, set in pairs of green oval- 

 pointed leaves, quite like those of the Willow-gentian, and ending in 

 bunches of erect trumpet-shaped flowers, red outside, and yellow 

 within, late in the summer. In England, when it flowers, it is usually 

 of a dingy Gentian that it has the effect — of some strange parti-coloured 

 Gentian, in hues unheard-of, but not brightly or successfully adopted. 

 It may, however, be capable of better things, but is certainly a mimp 

 in English culture, perhaps pining for the warmer climate of Mary- 

 land, and American sunshine, to bring out the fire of its colour ; even as 

 it is wanted to elicit the full blazing bloodiness and flame of the 

 Castillejas. 



Spiraea. — This vast family is filled with shrubs, but also contains 

 innumerable herbaceous plants for damp and cool rich soils, invaluable 

 for bog, wild-garden, or border. (See also under Astilbe.) Among 

 these the first is S. Aruncus, a royal pile of splendid foliage, and then 

 wide towering plumes of cream 4 feet high and more, above the 

 sprayed pyramid of the sumptuous wrinkled leafage outspreading in flat 

 ample tiers. It is very common in all the sub-alpine woods and 

 meadows throughout the mountains of Central Europe, in some 

 places forming round bushes so huge and high that they serve as boun- 

 daries and hedgerows to the little patches and fields carved out for 

 culture high on the laps of the great hills. It hates being moved or 

 divided, but is otherwise a thing as noble for the wild garden as it is 

 easy and everlasting. There is also a form of it called S. A. Kneijjii, 

 not nearly so vigorous and tall and stout, with skeletonised foliage i I 

 the most elegant and filmy effect. The species is sometimes called 

 Aruncus Silvester, and there are others of the far East rather re- 

 sembling it ; 8. astilboeides (Ast. japonica) comes from Japan and is 

 only about 2 feet high, in the same style, with rather looser plumes of 

 whiter flowers ; and this again has a variety 8. a. jloribunda of especial 

 amplitude, with leaves of glancing green. The common Meadow 



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