140 A GROUP 03? HARDY COMPOSITE PLANTS. 



flowers. It is quite hardy, but a -warm situation should be allotted to it ; it may- 

 be increased by divisions of the root, or by seeds. 



The perennial species of Coreopsis are mostly deficient in the rich brown tint of 

 the annual tinctoria and its varieties, but are several of them very showy 

 plants, and one, the C. Atkinsoniana, is scarcely inferior to any. Its flowers are 

 about two inches across, and usually marked at the base of the rays with rich 

 brown, but the disk is generally yellow. It is commonly supposed to be perennial, 

 but does not often last more than three years ; is readily raised from seed. This 

 plant, like the annual tinctoria, is now often termed Calliopsis, but they differ very 

 slightly from the true Coreopsis. Of those species with flowers entirely yellow, 

 one of the best is perhaps the C. grandiflora, which is really a fine plant ; in good 

 soil it will reach four feet ; the species auriculata, proecox, tenuifolia and verticillata 

 are, however, all worth cultivation and may be had of most of the principal Florists ; 

 they are all readily multiplied by division or seeds. We think it very probable 

 that some interesting hybrids might be raised between the yellow species and the 

 more deeply coloured annual C. tinctoria, for we do not believe the very slight 

 differences in the character of the pappus would prove any bar to their union. 



The Asters are many of them highly interesting plants, though the species 

 commonly grown are by no means of this character, and, in fact, are often down- 

 right rubbish. They vary considerably in height as well as in their season of 

 blooming, and are all of the easiest culture in good soil. One of the most striking 

 is the New England Aster, A. Nova Anglia, growing five feet high, and yielding 

 from August to October an abundance of large violet blue flowers. The red 

 variety of this species is very showy, and should be universally grown. The A. 

 patens is a handsome plant, growing from one and a half to two feet high, with 

 large flowers of a blueish purple tint. The A. spectabilis is about the same height, 

 but has narrower leaves ; its flowers are a fine blue and are very showy. The 

 flowers of A. grandiflorus are also blue ; they have a pleasant citron-like odour, 

 and are produced very late in the season when most of the others are out of bloom. 

 Of the new A. Sikkimensis we hope to give an account in an early number. Among 

 the dwarf species of Aster, are several pretty plants suitable for rockwork or the 

 front of the border. The A. Amelias and A. Amelloides, both with fine blue 

 flowers ; the A. bicolor, A. Reversii, and pulchella are of this class, and with the 

 taller species we have named, may nearly all be had of the London Florists. There 

 are many other good species, but they are very difficult to procure. 



The Ligularia speciosa, an old plant, has recently appeared in some of the 

 Seedsmen's lists, and may be grown where a large selection is desired ; its flowers 

 are yellow, and produced in June. 



None of the Composite plants are more interesting than those of the genus 

 Liatris. The roots of most of the species are tuberoue, but, with a few exceptions > 



