222 



of Good Hope : but some few of 

 which are natives of Britain, and 

 others of ]\Iexico and other parts of 

 South America. They have showy 

 flowers, and are easily cultivated in 

 sandy peat kept moist. All the 

 Cape species require protection 

 during winter, and are generally 

 grown in pots. 



PACHYPHY'TUM. — Crassvla- 

 ccce. A very curious and orna- 

 mental plant, with pale bluish 

 succulent leaves, and dark red flo- 

 wers, with bright yellow stamens. 

 There is a most striking contrast 

 between those bi'ight-looking flowers 

 and the glaucous hue of the large 

 calyx and bracts, which surround 

 them ; they cover the stems, and look 

 like spikes of flowers. The plant is 

 a native of Mexico, and requires a 

 greenhouse in this countiy. 



P-eo'nia. — Ranuiiculdcece. — 

 The herbaceous species are well- 

 known showy flowers, which thrive 

 in deep sandy soil, and are propa- 

 gated by division ; and the sufi"ru- 

 tescent or shrubby kinds, of which 

 there are several varieties, thrive in 

 similar soil, and are propagated by 

 laying down the shoots, cutting 

 behind each bud, and covering them 

 throughout their whole length by an 

 inch or two of sand or sandy soil. 

 Each bud thus treated will throw up 

 a shoot and emit roots, and after a 

 year may be cut off so as to form a 

 distinct plant. The tree Poeony, as 

 it is called, is quite hardy in the 

 climate of London ; but as the 

 flowers and leaves come out early, 

 they are liable to be injured by 

 spring frosts, and it is therefore 

 desirable to protect them by a hori- 

 zontal covering a foot or two above 

 the plant, which, by reflecting back 

 the heat radiated from the soil 

 keeps up such a temperature as pre- 



vents the plant from freezing. There 

 are many very handsome varieties 

 of the tree Pseony, both double and 

 single, but that which is most 

 common is the P. Moutan jjapave- 

 rdcea, a single variety in which the 

 petals are large and white, with a 

 dark purple mark at the base. A 

 few years ago this variety sold at 

 six guineas a plant, but it may now 

 be obtained from 3s. 6d. to os. 

 Both the herbaceous and shinibby 

 Pfeonies seed freely ; and as by 

 fecundating the flowers of one species 

 with those of the othex'S, new varie- 

 ties may be easily procured, raising 

 seedling Pagonies forms a source of 

 interest for amateurs. For some 

 account of the newly introduced 

 kinds of the Pa^ony see Mou'tan. 



Pal A Via. — McdvacecB. — An ele- 

 gant annual plant, generally raised 

 on a hotbed, and planted out in 

 May ; but which may be sown in 

 the open border in April. 



Paliu^rus. — Rhamnacece. — 

 Christ's Thom. — A curiously bent | 

 thorny shrub, with very oddly- 

 shaped flat fruit, which has given 

 rise to the French name for the 

 plant of portechapeau. It is a 

 native of Asia, and "will grow in any 

 common garden soil. 



Pancra^ticm. — Amarylliddcea;. 

 —The Sea Daffodil.— Splendid lily- 

 like bulbous-rooted plants, some of 

 which require a stove, and others 

 the greenhouse. They should be 

 grown in light loam and vegetable 

 mould ; and should be allowed a 

 season of rest, by being kept without 

 water when not in a growing state. 



Pansy. — See Heart's-ease. 



Papa Vbr. — Papaverucece. — The 

 Poppy. — Showy annual and peren- 

 nial plants, which -ndll grow in any 

 common garden-soil ; and which, 

 being quite hardy, only require the 

 common treatment of their respective 

 kinds. 



