THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 



167 



Another pretty kind is the Woolly Yellow Milfoil, A . tomentosa, a 

 pretty little Alpine species, with downy leaves and fine tufts of 

 golden yellow flowers. The favourite British Yarrow of the garden 

 — if the Rosy Yarrow does not happen to be the favourite — is the 

 Sneezewort Yarrow, A. ptarmica, with snowy white flowers, and 

 extremely elegant leaves, which grow in a tuft close to the ground, 

 and being finely cut, and of a pleasing tint of green, often cause the 

 plant to be mistaken, when not in flower, for a fern, -which it fairly 

 resembles. The double-flowering variety beloDgs especially to the 

 garden. It thrives best in a moist, shady spot, but will grow almost 

 anywhere. The Yarrows belong to the composite order, and have, 

 the bitter, pungent, and peculiar odour by which their near relatives 

 the camomiles and feverfews are distinguished. 



Many Geraniums or Crane's-bills, in addition to the Herb Eobert 

 already noticed, will attract our attention during the sunny month 

 of June. A splendid Alpine species, the Bloody Crane's-bill, Ger- 



PEAELWOBT SPUREEY. 



(The detached flowers are natural size.) 



anium sanguineum, has many orbicular or kidney-shaped leaves, and 

 a few largo solitary flowers of a fine purplish crimson colour. This 

 you will find in every garden where good hardy plants have the 

 encouragement they deserve. The Dusky Crane's-bill, G. phceum, 

 ia a strong-growing plant, with flowers of a deep, dingy, purplish- 

 black colour. It may be found wild in mountainous woods, and in 

 the garden w here such plants are prized. The Wood Crane's-bill, 

 G. eylvaticum,, grows two to three feet high, with large deeply-lobed 

 leaves and flowers growing in pairs, in large clusters at the summit 

 of the plant ; they are of a fine light purple colour, pencilled with 

 dark lines. This may be distinguished from all other British 

 Ccraniums by the hairs on the sterna of the stamens, or, in other 

 words, by its ciliated filaments. The Blue Meadow Crane's-bill, 

 C . pratense, grows in moist rich pastures in mountainous districts ; 

 the leaves are deeply cut, the flowers grow in pairs ; they are of a 

 fine blue colour. There is no wild plant to surpass this in beauty 



June. 



