SCROPHULARIACE^. 213 



toothed leaves, in the axils of which appear the handsome- 

 creamy-white flowers in June and July. It is fond of a chalky 

 soil, rather dry than otherwise, and should be kept dry in 

 winter, whether in pots or in the open air. Native of the 

 Pyrenees. Propagate by cuttings and seed. 



A. majus (^Common Snap-D?'agon or Antirrhimun). — As al- 

 ready said, this plant is too well known to require description 

 or praise. Its use and value as an ornamental plant are well 

 understood and valued. While it is willing to grow and in- 

 crease itself by means of seed anywhere in the most unlikely 

 places — in the thinnest soil, or even lime-rubbish or gravel, on 

 walls and house-tops — it is very grateful in better circumstances, 

 and forms one of the handsomest of border ornaments. It 

 succeeds best in well-drained rich sandy loam. Its propagation 

 by seed is a very simple matter: the plant, wherever it is grown, 

 demonstrates that fact by the multitude of seedlings that spring 

 up around it ; but it is often desirable to perpetuate choice and 

 well-marked varieties, and that cannot be done by seed. Cut- 

 tings are the only means whereby that end may be attained, 

 and they may be put in, in sandy soil, in a cold frame or 

 hand-light in autumn or spring, and kept shaded from bright 

 sunshine for some time till they begin to root ; and they are best 

 kept in some kind of shelter for the winter, if struck in autumn, 

 which is the best season for laying in increase of stock ; for 

 though sufficiently capable of resisting cold, they are not so 

 successful in enduring wet, especially in combination with frost. 

 A naturalised inhabitant of many parts of Britain and Ireland, 

 but originally from countries of the Mediterranean. 



Calceolaria {Sllpperwort). — Of this fine and popular genus 

 there is only one subject, so far as I am aware, that can be re- 

 commended as hardy with any degree of confidence. It is a 

 hybrid raised about the year 1840 by Mr Kelly, propagator to 

 Messrs Dickson & Son of Edinburgh. I do not know the 

 parentage of the interesting and pretty plant, but it bears some 

 resemblance to C. plantaginea in habit and flowers and foliage ; 

 and as that species is itself almost if not quite hardy, it may be 

 presumed on these circumstances that it is one of the parents. 

 Any way it is a valuable little plant worthy of extensive culti- 

 vation. It flourishes in border or rockwork in moist cool soil, 

 and is perfectly hardy. Its name is C. KcUyana, and the 

 flowers are yellow, with pretty crimson spots, and the plant is 

 herbaceous, with smooth obovate coarsely - toothed leaves. 

 Easily increased by cuttings or division. 



Chelone. — This is a small genus of North x^merican plants 

 nearly allied to Pentstemon, but not so well known in private 



