ON RAISING THE CHELONE BARBATA fROM SEED. 27o 



j 

 formation, I feel great pleasure in contributing my mite of expe- 

 rience, and hope it may prove interesting to some portion of vour 

 , J 1 ° l totte 



numerous reader. 



In the autumn of last year, about November, I cut off the prin- 

 cipal seed-stem of my Chelone barbata, and in paper carefully and 

 gradually dried it, at a moderate distance from the fire. In Fe- 

 bruary 18IJ4, I sowed the seed thus obtained, in soil composed of 

 equal portions of sand, leaf-mould, maiden loam, and rotten ma- 

 nure ; covering this small seed, which to some would appear as 

 dust, very slightly, and placing it in the parlour, having no green- 

 house. In May the seedlings were placed out in the open border, 

 and two of them are now (Sept. 9th) in full bloom. 



I have seen no description ol this beaulitul plant, except in a 

 work entitled Flora Conspicua, in which it is stated that this plant 

 can only be increased by parting the root, or by cuttings. My 

 parent plant blowed so profusely as to prevent the possibility of 

 the former plan, viz. dividing the root ; and though I tried the 

 latter one with tlu - ee cuttings, it completely failed. From the 

 success of my first experiment, I am induced to believe that the 

 seed of many valuable plants may be perfected in our climate. 



As I think the work before alluded to is discontinued, I shall, 

 for the benefit of your readers, copy the author's remarks on this 

 beautiful plant. 





"CHELONE BARBATA. 



" DlDYNAMIA. AnGIOSPEUMIA. 



"Class 14. Order 2. 



" The delicacy and grace of this herbaceous plant will ever be 

 found sufficient to induce the lovers of flowers to give it a conspi- 

 < 'nous place in the herbaceous border. The singular formation 

 and pendant position of its little tubular flowers — the handsome 

 pyramidkal form produced by each stalk — and the height to which 

 tin- centre stalk of the established plant will rise, (often six feet,) 

 surrounded by other stalks of weaker and shorter growth, producing 

 a succession of blooms for nearly two mouths,— render this plant 

 truly int. n sting., 



"It thrives well in common garden mould, but will grow luxu- 

 riantly with a portion of loam. As it does not perfect its scods in 

 this country, it must bo increased by dividing the root, or by cut- 



