70 President's Address. 



flowers pale yellow, with a branching spike, and free flowering. 

 B. Dens cams alba is a beautiful pure white variety, which every one 

 should cultivate. Eranthis hyemalis, the common winter aconite, 

 cannot be grown too abundantly ; it is not at all particular as to 

 situation, and is one of the first to open its yellow flowers in 

 spring. Leticojum vernum blossoms early, about the same time as 

 the snowdrops, and is a handsome plant. Some of the Anemones 

 are early in bloom, especially A. hlanda, which has lovely dark blue 

 flowers, much finer in colour than A. apennina, which it much 

 resembles, only flowers about a month earlier. A variety of A. 

 apennina, called atrocxerulea, a much smaller plant, and with darker 

 blue flowers, is more suited to the rockery than the type, as it 

 does not grow half so high. I have a very fine white-flowered 

 sport from this plant, which comes true, and is very handsome ; 

 I consider it quite unique, and intend to propagate it largely. 

 The scarlet A. fidgens is a plant that should receive all the atten- 

 tion possible ; nothing can be more gorgeous than the bright 

 scarlet when the sun is shining. Many other Anemoiies are well 

 fitted for the rockery, such as vernalis, Rohinsoniana, and haJdensis. 

 A. vernalis is a handsome plant, and where it thrives is a very free 

 flowerer. I had a plant this summer with thirty-six large flowers 

 out at the same time. A. Rohinsoniana, supposed to be a variety 

 of A. nemorosa, with pale blue flowers, quite double the size of the 

 type, and of a very refined quality, should never be overlooked in a 

 collection; as it multiplies very rapidly from the root, it should be 

 largely propagated for the purpose of naturalising in woods. A. hal- 

 densis is free growing and very desirable ; it has, however, a decidedly 

 running habit, and is not very free floAvering. A. palmata is a neat 

 dwarf plant, but with me it has failed to show flowers, although the 

 plant sends up leaves every summer. The white variety seems more 

 robust, and flowers freely. 



The Ranunculus family has many small species well fitted for 

 the rockery. R. alpestris, though not more than 3 or 4 inches 

 high, is always covered with flowers in its season ; and I have seen 

 varieties of it which are continuous bloomers during the whole 

 summer. R. crenatus, R. parnassifolius, and R. Troufellneri, are all 

 dwarf and free flowerers. R. glacialis, a beautiful form, should 

 be tried by every one who has a bog garden; but it is no use 

 planting it in the ordinary rockery, as it always grows wild in wet 

 sticky soil at the edge of the melting snow, and is never seen much 

 below 7000 or 8000 feet elevation. 



Gentians are also good rock plants. G. verna especially is beauti- 

 ful, but many people find it difficult to manage. It, however, grows 

 Avell with me iu leaf mould and sand ; it requires to be firmly planted. 



