18 THE FLORAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GDIDE. 



carpet plant we have. Mr. Cole, the talented gardener at Ealing 

 Park, increases it freely hy planting those lifted from the beds in 

 the autumn in a bed of light sandy soil made up in a frame from 

 •which the frost is excluded. The branches are pegged down and 

 covered with soil, and by the spring roots are emitted from the 

 whole length of the stems, which are cut up into as many pieces as 

 there are small side-shoots, and potted singly. 



Stellar ia graminea aurea, a distinct variety of this well-known 

 weed, with very bright yellow foliage. It is several shades richer in 

 colour than the Golden Feather, but in some respects it is less useful. 

 But as they are perfectly distinct, both are required. The Golden 

 Chickweed, as the Stellaria is now generally designated in response 

 to my suggestion, when first directing attention to its merits as a 

 bedding-plant, spreads close upon the ground, and forms a dense 

 carpet of gold. It is quite hardy, and can be propagated freely by 

 division or cuttings. 



Cineraria maritlma compacta, 0. asplenijblia, and 0. ceratoj)liylla, 

 are three hardy plants, with grejish-white foliage, which can be 

 kept down to a uniform height of six or eight inches, by a judicious 

 system of pinching. When propagated from cuttings, and planted 

 thickly, they form a most effective mass or line. 



Centaurea ragusina co^npada and C. plumosa argentea, are two 

 white-leaved plants of great merit for lines or masses, eight inches in 

 height. They cannot be stopped in the same manner as the Cine- 

 rarias, but if they attain too great a height, they can be kept down 

 by removing a few of the larger leaves. They are not first-class 

 carpet plants, but for some designs they will be found very useful. 



Lobelia Lustrous is one of the best of the whole series for 

 carpet-bedding. It attains a uniform height of four inches, is mode- 

 rately dense in growth, and blooms freely and continuously through- 

 out the season ; and does not go off in the same manner as L. 

 pumila grandijlora frequently does. 



Leucoplujton Browni is most useful for divisional lines. It is 

 peculiar in growth, and when planted thickly, and pinched mode- 

 rately, it forms a miniature hedge of the most silvery whiteness. 

 It is notea&y to propagate, but the best way of striking the cuttings 

 is to insert them thickly under a hand-glass, placed on a warm border 

 in the autumn. 



Achillea umbellata and Veronica incana are two greyish-leaved 

 hardy plants of considerable value, but less so than others enu- 

 merated. The first-mentioned forms a pretty band from four to six 

 inches in height, but it is rather difficult to propagate. 



Sechim acre elegans resembles in habit the specific form generally 

 known as the common stonecrop, but instead of being deep green, 

 it has a decided creamy yellow hue, and for a low front line of a 

 quiet tone it will be found useful. It can be increased freely by 

 division, and requires no attention to keep it in order. 



Curpet -bedding is undoubtedly costly when well carried out, and 

 unless it is done well, it had better not be done at all. The plants 

 must be put close together for the purpose of producing an imme- 

 diate effect, and for securing the formation of good solid lines and 



