228 LABIAT.E. 



any of the forms may be pronounced showy ; they are simply 

 chaste and pretty. It flowers in long duration throughout the 

 earlier part of summer, and is for a long period trim, dressy, and 

 pleasing. It is easy of cultivation, delights in partial shade, 

 and is consequently well adapted for introducing into open 

 woods and suchlike places, where it may be desirable to 

 introduce characteristic plants. It is beautiful in the mixed 

 herbaceous border or rockery, and is very accommodating as 

 regards soil, any common moist garden-soil suiting admir- 

 ably. 



Monarda. — These are handsome border plants, with flowers 

 of showy colour and characteristic appearance. They are easy 

 to cultivate, succeeding in any moderately good garden loam, 

 and increased by division. They may be introduced into open 

 woods in strong patches in groups of the species, or associated 

 with contrasting plants, and they are excellent for shrubbery 

 decoration. 



M. didyma (Oswego Tea). — The plant grows about 3 feet 

 high, with erect stems, clothed with large egg-shaped leaves, 

 attenuated at the points, and closely and sharply toothed. The 

 flowers are in close head-like whorls at the extremity of the 

 stem, and are deep-red, appearing in June or July, and lasting 

 a couple of months. Native of North America. 



M. Kalmiana (Downy-flowered M.) — This is a taller and 

 stronger plant than the last. It grows about ^}4 or 4 feet 

 high, the leaves large, egg-shaped, sharply toothed, and some- 

 what downy on hairy stalks. The flowers are in very conspicu- 

 ous head-like whorls, are deep crimson, and somewhat downy. 

 Native of North America. Flowers about the same time, and 

 lasting as long as those of the last. 



M. purpurea (Crimson M.) — Near in habit and general ap- 

 pearance to the last, but distinguished from it at a glance by the 

 large leafy appendages under the head of flowers, and the 

 shorter flowers. It grows about 3 feet high; the leaves are 

 egg-shaped, blunter-pointed than in the last species, not in the 

 least downy, and coarsely toothed. Flowers deep purplish 

 crimson, appearing and lasting about the same time as the 

 others. Native of North America. 



Nepeta (Cat-Mi?it). — A very numerous genus in names, but 

 somewhat confounded as regards the species : for the most 

 part there is good reason to believe that the larger number 

 of the forms usually seen about botanic gardens as species, 

 are capable of being referred to a few types. A few are 

 good border plants, and easily accommodated as regards soil 

 and situation. They may also be naturalised in open half- 



