SAXIFRAGACE.-E. I3I 



mental hardy herbaceous "species at present represented in 

 gardens, and there is no great prospect of increase in these by 

 importation; but in species there is good reason to beheve that 

 there are many more to come; and judging by what we already 

 possess, we may expect that new introductions will be good, 

 and worth receiving. But there are already many species in 

 cultivation, and amongst them will be found selections adapted 

 to many purposes in out-of-doors gardening, and in-doors too, 

 but that does not lie in our way at present. Saxifraga is the most 

 numerous in species, and is altogether the most valuable in an 

 ornamental sense. Astilbe and Hoteia are nearly allied, and 

 together furnish a few species elegant alike in flower and foliage. 

 Francoa is worth a place in mixed borders. Parnassia is both 

 curious and beautiful, and Di'osera (by Mr Bentham and others, 

 included in this order), though not high in ornamental value, is 

 peculiarly interesting, and therefore worthy of some notice here, 

 for the sake of those who have the facilities and scientific enthu- 

 siasm essential to its successful culture. There are other hardy 

 herbaceous genera, such as Henchera^ Tellwia, Mitella, Szc, in- 

 teresting enough botanical subjects, but not popularly so, and 

 being very inferior decorative plants, they are unworthy of 

 farther notice. The whole of the selected genera are easily 

 propagated by seed and by division, and some species of 

 Saxi/raga and Francoa may also be increased by cuttings, 

 but division is the simplest and handiest way once stock is in 

 hand. Other particulars of culture will be noticed under the 

 various genera and species as they turn up. 



Astilbe, — Only two or three species of this genus are known 

 to cultivation. They are elegant rather than showy plants, 

 with handsome compound leaves and branching racemes of 

 very small but numerous flowers. They are best fitted for the 

 mixed border, flourishing in a mixture of peat and loam and 

 sand, well drained, yet requiring much moisture during the 

 growing season. They may also be planted on the margins of 

 lakes and streams, for which their graceful style fits them well. 



A. decandra (Decandrous A.) — This species grows about 2 

 or 3 feet high, w4th large, spreading, tvvice-ternate leaves ; the 

 stems, stalks, and both surfaces of the leaflets, clothed with 

 long rusty hairs. Flowers creamy-white, in long somewhat 

 branched racemes resembling some of the herbaceous spirceas, 

 appearing in July and August. The plant is a native of Caro- 

 lina. It is hardy enough to exist in any part of the country 

 from year to year ; but it suffers often in spring in cold wet 

 localities which are subject to late frosts, after having made 

 some growth. 



