CRUCIFER.E. 51 



Otherwise close attention to watering will be necessary, and it 

 should not be given in daily driblets, but in abundance when 

 obviously required. The single sorts are best raised from seed 

 sown in the open ground in March or April, the plants after- 

 wards to be pricked out into their permanent positions. They 

 may also be increased by division if only limited increase is 

 required, but seed is preferable for the purpose of raising large 

 quantities for planting out in bulk. The characteristic features 

 of the Rockets, whether single or double, are too well known 

 to require description. The best double varieties are the double 

 purple Purpiireo-pleno, the double white Albo-pkno, the double 

 red Rubro-pleno^ and the double variegated with purple and 

 white blotched and striped flowers, named Variegato-pkno. 

 There are better and worse strains of these — some loose and 

 inclined to lankiness, and inferior in brightness of colouring, 

 and others more compact, more double, and bright; but 

 soil and culture exercise an important influence on these points, 

 and aged plants generally deteriorate much, hence the neces- 

 sity of keeping the stock always vigorous by assiduous peri- 

 odical propagation. There are representatives of the above 

 colours in single sorts also ; they grow about 3 or 4 feet high : 

 the double sorts are more dwarf and compact, rarely exceeding 

 2 ^ feet. The species is a native of Italy, and begins to flower 

 about the end of May, and continues throughout the two or 

 three following months. Theie are other sorts sometimes 

 named specifically in our catalogues which are only varieties of 

 H. inat7'onaUs : the most frequent of these is H. inodora, an 

 almost scentless fomi of the species ; and H. sibcrica, with pink 

 flowers. Other species there are, but rare if at all to be found 

 in our gardens nowadays, and which are not equal in any 

 respect to the varieties of H. inatronalis noticed above. 



Hutchinsia. — A genus of very few species, only one of which 

 is at present known in gardens in this country, and not so well 

 known as it should be. H. alpiiia is a very dwarf compact- 

 growing perennial, producing deeply-pinnatifid leaves and pure 

 white flowers in clusters, supported on stems about 2 or 3 inches 

 high, and in considerable abundance. The flowers appear in 

 jNIay and June, and occasionally also in July. Although a 

 tiny plant, it delights in a soil of considerable depth, as in 

 deep fissures of rockwork. It is best adapted to the adorn- 

 ment of rockwork, and should have an open sunny position, 

 but succeeds well also in the open border if the soil is not close 

 and retentive. It would no doubt be useful also for edging and 

 massing in the spring flower-garden if kept in pots in reserve for 

 that purpose. Propagate by division after flowering is wefl over, 



