102 ALPINE PLANTS 
soni. All the kinds named have blue flowers, but P. con- 
fertum mellitum bears abundant white flowers. P. humile 
album is another white variety producing its clusters 
of bloom on stems a foot or 15 inches high. Another 
variety of P. humile is named pulchellum, a sweet little 
gem only about 3 or 4 inches high, and bearing a pro- 
fusion of pale blue flowers. Division in spring is an easy 
means of increasing stock, but small pieces are best potted 
for awhile until they make fresh growth. 
PoLyGoNuM.—The Polygonum family is very remark- 
able for the wide diversity in form, habit, stature and 
appearance. We have the superbly handsome climber, 
P. baldschuanicum, the great strong-growing P. cuspi- 
datum, that will not only reach a height of 8 or g feet, 
but will if permitted rapidly spread itself over a rod of 
land, and is more appropriately adapted for growth among 
trees or in positions where a screen is desirable, but the 
kinds with which we may immediately concern ourselves 
are the miniature or the trailing species and varieties that 
will tumble over rocks, or down the face of a wall, or 
make a dense carpet of foliage and flowers on a stretch 
of the alpine bed. 
First we may take P. affine, free and easy growing with 
innumerable wiry stems clothed with glossy green foliage 
that takes on ruddy metallic hues in autumn. The plant 
bears quantities of coral pink blossoms with a glistening 
sheen, the spikes bearing some resemblance to ears of 
wheat dipped in pink dye, but far more beautiful than any 
artificially coloured thing could be. Another trailer of 
exquisite loveliness is P. vaccinifolium, with deep rose- 
