88 SCUTELLARIA MACRANTHA. 



hardy, and of easy cultivation and increase. It is a herbaceous perennial, scarcely 

 exceeding one foot in height, with angular, branching stems, and opposite, entire, 

 lance-shaped leaves. The very handsome purple flowers are produced in long 

 terminal spikes, and are larger than those of any other species known to us. The 

 plant seeds freely, and may be readily increased by these means, as well as by 

 division of the roots, or by cuttings under a glass, either in the border or frame. 

 Seedlings usually flower the first season, if sown early, and should be transplanted 

 from the seed pan while young, as they will suffer less from removal than at a more 

 advanced stage of their growth. 



"With regard to soil, a mixture of good loam and decayed leaves or manure 

 appears to best suit this plant, though it will probably flourish in any good garden 

 soil ; for many hardy plants, like individuals, possess the happy faculty of adapting 

 themselves to situations of diverse character, provided that they are not of too 

 extreme a nature. 



To the amateurs of hardy perennials, the Scutellaria macrantha will, we are sure, 

 prove highly interesting ; for, as we have already intimated, it needs no protection 

 during the winter, though it is so showy, that there are few plants on which we 

 would more willingly bestow a little care in preserving it from frost, were it 

 necessary. It disappears so entirely during the winter months, that it is advisable 

 to mark its place in the border by a label of some description ; for much injury is 

 often done to plants of a similar character when the borders are dressed in spring, 

 from ignorance of the precise locality of their roots. 



Sir William Hooker has recommended the S. macrantha as very desirable for 

 planting in masses ; and when sufficiently common it will, no doubt, be employed 

 for this purpose, as its flowering season is of considerable duration. 



There arc several other interesting species of Skull-cap which deserve a place in 

 the borders. The most ornamental are alpina, altaica, Columnce, oricntalis, pallida, 

 and grandiflora, all of which are as hardy as S. macrantha, and increased by the 

 same means. There are several South American and Mexican species of much 

 interest, which, although not sufficiently hardy to endure exposure in winter, are 

 desirable summer plants for borders or beds ; and it is rather remarkable that it is 

 only among this more tender section of the genus, that species with scarlet flowers 

 are found, those peculiar to the more temperate latitudes being generally of a blue 

 or purple hue, more or less blended with other tints. Orientalis and grandiflora 

 are however yellow, and pallida has flowers which are nearly white. S. Japonica is a 

 very pretty species, of dwarf growth, and producing a profusion of showy blue flowers 

 throughout the whole of the summer. It requires, however, some protection in 

 winter. The best of the tender species just referred to are, splendens, with rather 

 small, brilliant scarlet blossoms, from Mexico ; incarnata, with deep rose-coloured 

 flowers, from the western declivities of the Peruvian Andes ; and Ventenatii, also 



