GARDEN FLOWERS. 325 



R. lunaria (Moonwort) ; flowers blue, purple, in July ; Egypt ; 

 1757. 



RoBiNiA. [Leguminosae.] Deciduous shrubs and trees, 

 many of them of large size, as the False Acacia, or Locust- 

 tree {R. pseud-Acacia), which, besides its elegant pinnate 

 foliage, and drooping racemes of white sweet-scented flow- 

 ers, furnishes a hard and durable timber. For the flower- 

 garden and shrubbery, however, the species most appropri- 

 ate is the Rose Acacia {R. hispida), for which the allied 

 species, R. macrophylla, may be substituted in situations 

 where there is space for its somewhat larger growth : both 

 bear long drooping racemes of large rose-colored flowers. 

 The Rose Acacias grow well in moderately good garden 

 soil ; but they require rather a sheltered situation, or their 

 brittle branches are liable to be broken by the wind. They 

 should be grown as standards. 



R. pseitd, acacia variety Decais?teana, is a charming hybrid, 

 with rosy-pink flowers ; 1862. 



Rocket. See Hesperis. 



RoMERiA. [Papaveraceae.] Hardy annuals, allied to 

 Glaucium. Common soil. Propagated by seeds sown in 

 May. 



The species are R. hybrida, refracta, and vemiiculata, with 

 purple, red, and violet flowers in June. 



Rosa. Rose. [Rosaceae.] The varieties, colors, and 

 habit of the Rose are almost endless. They are grown 

 either on their own roots, or budded on stocks — that is, 

 stems — of the common Dog-rose. The Rose will grow 

 well in any moderately-rich garden soil. In planting roses, 

 cut all the ragged and damaged parts of the root clean with 

 a sharp knife ; if any part of the root is bruised, remove it ; 

 plant these the same depth that they have been growing be- 

 fore ; prune out all the thin twigs or shoots from the head 



