1 62 COMPOSIT.^. 



heads are dense and somewhat pyramidal in outHne. The 

 flower-heads are Hlac or pale purple, and appear in September 

 and October, often also in November if the weather is mild. 

 Native of North America. This species and the others are 

 easily-cultivated plants, succeeding well in any ordinary gar- 

 den-soil, and are suitable for the mixed border and shrubbery 

 borders. The other species known to cultivation are G. lini- 

 folia, G. pimctaia^ and G. dracunadoides. 



Grindelia. — This is a showy genus well worthy of culture 

 wherever the climate and soil are favourable, but in this 

 country they do not endure our winters, except in dry, warm, 

 well-sheltered places. They flower very freely, and keep up a 

 long succession of bloom, and their character and style are 

 well worth trying for wherever the climate is suitable. I 

 cannot, however, recommend them for any part of Scotland 

 or the north of England, having had no experience of them 

 in either of these quarters. It is a small group, and all 

 that are known to science are not in cultivation ; and some 

 of those that are, are dwarf half-shrubby plants, more suitable 

 for planting at the base of a wall than in the open border, and 

 are quite worthy of such a position where there is room for 

 them. Two of the herbaceous species only will be noticed ; 

 they are both in cultivation, and to be had in nurseries, though 

 they are rare. They are the hardiest of the group, and succeed 

 well in the London district and beyond it southwards, and in 

 Ireland. They flourish best in light rich loam. Propagate by 

 division in spring. 



G. grandiflora {Large-floivej^ed G.) — The plant grows 3 or 4 

 feet high, with undivided stems till near the top, when they 

 branch for flowering. The leaves are stalkless, clasping the 

 stems somewhat at the base, roughly toothed on the margin, 

 and tapering much from base to point. The flov»'er-heads are 

 borne one on each branch, and are large, with spreading 

 bright orange-yellow ray-florets. Flowers from July till late 

 autumn. Native of Texas. 



G-. squarrosa {Snake' s-head G.) — This species grows i}4 to 

 2 y^ feet high, with unbranched stem.s till near the top, where 

 they break for flowering. The leaves are lance-shaped, clasping 

 the stem slightly at the base, and coarsely but sharply toothed. 

 Flower as in the last species, only one to a branch. They ap- 

 pear in July and continue till September. Native of Missouri. 



Helianthus (Sunfloji^er). — This is rather a coarse but showy 

 genus, embracing a considerable number of species of tall 

 striking plants, all producing yellow flower-heads. Any of the 

 species may be freely naturalised in open woods and semi- 



