TO THE FLOWER GARDEN. 125 



GELASINE. [Iridaceae.] A pretty half-hardy bulb. 

 Soil, sandy loam. Increased by offsets. The best is G. 

 azurea, blue, 



GENISTA. [Leguminosse, § Papilionacese.] A genus of 

 shrubs, of which most of the species are hardy. These suc- 

 ceed well in ordinar}^ garden soil, mostly preferring dryish 

 situations, and are best increased by seeds. The hardy trail- 

 ing species are admirable plants for rockwork. The greenhouse 

 kinds are very ornamental and free-blooming plants. They 

 are propagated readily by cuttings planted in sandy soil, and 

 placed in a frame. The plants should be potted in light 

 loamy compost ; and if moderately shifted, and the young 

 shoots frequently topped, they soon make good bushy plants. 

 The flowers of some of these are highly fragrant. 



GENTIANA. Gentian. [Gentianaceas.] Beautiful 

 hardy herbaceous plants. G. acaidis, sometimes called Gen- 

 tianella, has been often chosen as an edging for flower-beds 

 and borders : a light, but not poor soil is required for it, and 

 when once planted it does not like to be disturbed ; conse- 

 quently the edgings are allowed to grow wide, and it is then 

 that it begins to bloom profusely. The plant will not flower 

 till it has begun to grow well. The soil should be prepared 

 for the plants by forking in some peat earth with the ordinary 

 soil ; they may then be planted and watered to settle the 

 earth about their roots. The brilliant blue of their bell-like 

 flowers, turned up, however, instead of hanging down, is so 

 intense that they form a most striking object anywhere. The 

 w^hole plant, when in flower, is not four inches high ; yet the 

 blossom is almost as long as that of a Canterbury Bell. It is 

 an evergreen, and when not in flower is by no means a bad 

 edging. Many of the other species are most beautiful border 

 flowers. They should be planted in good rich soil, and most 

 of them prefer a considerable proportion of peat earth. They 

 are propagated readily by dividing the plant in autumn or 

 spring. The hardy annual and biennial species are of much 

 less horticultural importance, and a new one, recently added, 

 is said to surpass all the familiar varieties. 



GERANIUM. Crane's Bill. [Geraniaceae.J Ornamental 

 herbaceous plants. Common garden soil. Increased readily 

 by division or by seeds. See also Pelargonium. 



