230 glenny's handbook 



P. Cretica, P. hastata, P. ititramarf/lnalis, P. Klnr/iana, 

 P. longifolia, P. macrophyUa, P. serridata, P. trcmula, and 

 P. umhrosa are all cultivated. 



PULTEN^EA. [Legumiiiosae, § Papilionaceae.] Beautiful 

 greenhouse evergreen shrubs, flowering yellow. They may 

 be treated as Dillwynias and Chorozemas. Sandy peat of 

 fibry texture. Cuttings in sand under bell-glasses. P.ericoides, 

 P. ohcordata, P. stipularis, P. stricta. Most of the species are 

 showy. 



PUNICA. Pomegranate. [Myrtacese.] Beautiful de- 

 ciduous tree, suitable for walls. Light rich soil. Cuttings, 

 layers, or grafting. The only one grown in our gardens is 

 P. granatum, flowers red or whitish, single or double, in July. 



PYRETHRUM. Feverfew. [Composite.] A rather 

 large genus, consisting mostly of hardy perennials of the 

 easiest culture, not very ornamental, with the exception of 

 a double-flow^ered variety of P. Parthenium, which is showj, 

 blooming in profusion throughout the summer and autumn ; 

 the plant has, however, a strong bitter aromatic scent — that 

 of feverfew — which is not very agreeable. This variety is 

 multiplied by cuttings, planted during summer under a hand- 

 glass ; the other hardy kinds by division. There are also 

 some free-growing greenhouse shrubs of little importance. 



Pyrethkum Sinense (Chrysanthemum). — This popular 

 plant is quite hardy ; but as it blooms late in autumn, just 

 at the season severe frost often occurs, it sometimes hap- 

 pens that outdoor plants which are one day in full beauty, 

 and almost the only ornaments of the garden, are the next 

 day blackened and cut up by the frost. The variety both of 

 colour and form afforded by these flowers renders a collection 

 interesting, and they have now become quite popular. For 

 high culture the plants require to be renewed every year by 

 cuttings — they will spread in the ground and bloom for years ; 

 but if a dwarf plant is wanted, and the flowers are required in 

 perfection, they must be renewed by cuttings. One plan, the 

 object of which is to secure small dwarf plants in pots, is, in 

 July, when the plants have grown two feet or more in height, 

 to take ofl" the tops three inches long, cut off the lower leaves, 

 plant them in sandy soil, and cover with a hand-glass ; they 

 must be kept moist, and the pot set in a gentle hotbed, and 



