2 RANUNCULACE.'E. 



there much diversity of habit or stature; but there is some differ- 

 ence in the time of flowering, which renders them available for 

 different seasons and purposes. The selection need not, however, 

 embrace more than what secures this variety of usefulness along 

 with the best of the species. They delight in rather a moist 

 soil — that is, one tolerably retentive but well drained — and they 

 should not be often removed, and are impatient of the disturb- 

 ance caused by digging or forking deeply ; but annual pricking 

 of the surface of the soil with a fork, and turning in a little 

 peat or well-decomposed leaf mould, or very old manure, is of 

 much benefit to them. They may be increased by seeds sown 

 in March, in small pots or shallow pans, in a compost of sandy 

 loam and leaf-mould, or by division of the roots just as growth 

 commences. 



A. apennina {Apennine A.) does not appear very distinct 

 from A. ve?'?ialis in character, but as it begins to flower as that 

 species ceases, it is valuable as a means of continuing a succes- 

 sion of bloom. It grows from 9 inches to i foot high, with 

 large bright yellow flowers which appear in April and May, 

 suitable alike for the rock work or the mixed border, and very 

 beautiful in its season. Native of the Alps of Europe. 



A. pyrenaica {Pyrenean A) is rather taller than the last, 

 growing i foot or 15 inches high. The root-leaves are on 

 long stalks, and rather finely divided. The flowers are large, 

 but contain fewer petals than the last, and appear in the end 

 of June and throughout July. Avery good plant for the mixed 

 border, and may also be used on the rockwork with good 

 effect. Native of the Pyrenees. 



A. vernalis (Spring A.) — This is the best of the group, and 

 is a very old inhabitant of our gardens, though now rarely seen. 

 It grows about 9 inches or 1 foot high, is destitute of root- 

 leaves, but the stems and branches are clothed at the joints 

 with finely-cut stalkless foliage, and terminate in very large 

 bright yello\v flowers in March and April. Native of the Alps 

 of Europe. AVhere spring flower-gardening is done on the plan 

 of filling the summer flower-garden with bulbs and other early- 

 blooming plants for spring display, this, along with A. apennina^ 

 will be found invaluable, on account of the bright contrasts they 

 will afford grouped along with Hepaticas, Primroses, &c. For 

 such a purpose as this, their constitutional antipathy to frequent 

 removals makes it necessary to cultivate them in pots plunged 

 to the rims in the reserve ground. They will require frequent 

 refreshings on the surface with compost of a rich but well-de- 

 composed quality, occasional repotting when the mass of the 

 soil becomes bad through age or defective drainage, and for the 



