THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



GUNNERA. 



595 



Rhizoctonia crocorum of De Candolle, 

 which is known in France under the 

 name of Tacon. The fungus attacks 

 iUso the Narcissus, the Crocus, Asparagus, 

 Potatoes, and other bulbs, roots, etc. A 

 good deal of attention was paid to it in 

 1876, when Mr. G. W. Smith detected in 

 abundance the curious fungus named by 

 him Urocystis Gladioli. The Urocystis 

 and Rhizoctonia are probably two con- 

 ditions of the same thing, the Rhizoctonia 

 being possibly the spawn and the Uro- 

 cystis the fruit. The latter Urocystis is 

 capable of remaining in a resting state 

 for a year or more, and is frequently 

 found in the decayed red-brown portions 

 of the diseased I corm. The disease is 

 confined to certain localities and to cer- 

 tain gardens, and is unknown in some 



GLAUCIUM {Horned Poppy).— V\2.nl% 

 of the Poppy family, usually biennials. 

 G. liiteiun is quite hardy and has hand- 

 some silver foliage, almost as white as 

 the silvery Centaurea. The leaves are 

 much more deeply cut, and, planted close, 

 are effective either in masses or lines. 

 To ensure strong plants for winter borders 

 or beds, seed should be sown about May, 

 as the plant is a biennial. When in 

 bloom it makes a striking border plant, 

 the flowers being large and orange-red. 

 G. Fischeri is a handsome plant ; its 

 snow-white woolly foliage is very telling, 

 and its blossom is of an unusual flame 

 colour. G. corniciilatiiin is similar, but 

 not so handsome. Both require the same 

 treatment as G. luteiim. 



GrLOBULARIA {Globe Daisy).— Xx^t^x- 

 esting and dwarf alpine plants, good on the 

 rock-garden in light and peaty soils. G. 

 Alypum is among the best ; it inhabits 

 dry rocks. Other kinds are G. cordifolia, 

 G. nana, G. fitcdicaulis, and G. tricJio- 

 santJia. 



GOODYERA {Rattlesnake Plantain).— 

 A beautiful little Orchid, G. ptibescens 

 having leaves close to the ground, deli- 

 cately veined with silver ; hardy, distinct, 

 and charming, though its flowers are not 

 showy. It has long been grown in 

 botanic and choice collections, thriving 

 in a shady position such as may be 

 found in a good rock-garden, in moist 

 peaty soil, with here and there a soft 

 sandstone for its roots to run among. 

 Eastern United States. G. repens and 

 Menziesi are less desirable and much 

 rarer. 



GRAMMANTHES. — A pretty half- 

 hardy annual, G. ge)itianoidcs being a 

 capital plant for the dry parts of a rock- 

 garden, about 2 in. high, forming a dense 



tuft, with fleshy leaves about \ in. long, 

 and many flowers about § in. across : 

 orange when first expanded, with a 

 distinct V-shaped mark at the base of 

 each petal, but finally assuming a deep 

 red. G. gentianoides is sometimes used 

 with good effect in the flower-garden, 

 and succeeds in dry warm soil. Seeds 

 should be sown in heat in February and 

 March, and the seedlings planted out in 

 May. Stonecrop family. Cape of Good 

 Hope. 



GREVILLEA. — Australian shrubs, 

 generally grown in the greenhouse, but a 

 few are quite hardy enough for wall culture ; 

 and G. sulphurea, the hardiest in cultiva- 

 tion, lives against walls about London. 

 Its pale yellow flowers, of curious shape, 

 as in all Grevilleas, come throughout 

 the summer. G. rosniarinifolia is another 

 hardy kind with Rosemary - like leaves 

 and clusters of red flowers. The Gre- 

 villeas do best against a warm wall in a 

 sheltered situation. 



GUNNERA (Pr/V/l'/j/Tf/zz/^ar^).— South 

 American plants remarkable for large 

 and handsome foliage, somewhat resem- 

 bling that of gigantic Rhubarb. They are 

 hardy if slightly protected during the 

 severest cold, for instance by a layer of 

 dry leaves placed among the stems, and 

 having their own leaves bent down upon 

 them. In spring these dry leaves should 

 be removed, and the tender growth slightly 

 protected by a piece of canvas-shading or 

 by an ordinary mat. In mild winters this 

 precaution is scarcely necessary, especially 

 in the south and other favoured localities. 

 Where there is any diversity of surface it 

 will be easy to select a spot well open to 

 the sun and yet sheltered by shrubs. A 

 large hole, about 6 by 4 ft. deep, should 

 be dug out, a good layer of drainage 

 material put at the bottom, and the hole 

 filled with a rich compost of loam and 

 manure. In summer the plants ought to 

 have plenty of water, and a ridge of turf 

 should be placed round them, to compel 

 the water to sink down about their roots. 

 They should also have a mulching of 

 well-rotted manure early in every spring. 

 They thrive on the margins of ponds 

 where their roots can penetrate the 

 moist soil, and if judiciously placed in 

 such a position, they have a fine effect. 

 Though the two kinds G. scabra and G. 

 nianicaia greatly resemble each other, 

 they have well - marked characteristics. 

 The leaves of G. manicata are more 

 kidney-shaped and attain a much larger 

 size, often measuring 4 to 6 ft. across. 

 The spikes of fruit are also much longer, 

 and the secondary spikes are long and 

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