March.~] PERENNIALS. 41 



are fine exotics, but may give place to our native species, 

 such as G. Catesbcei ; G. ochroleuca; G. incarndta; with 

 several others, and G. crindta, which is a biennial, and 

 finely fringed ; colour light blue. 



Geum. There are only four species that are worth cul- 

 tivation, namely, G. quellyon, once G. cocdneurn ; G. 

 splendens, G. JVicea, and G. hybridum. G. urbanum 

 is sometimes cultivated for its roots, which, when chewed, 

 sweeten the breath. They are all of easy culture. G. 

 quellyon and splendens flower from May to October, and 

 are very desirable plants for the borders, and much esteem- 

 ed in Europe. 



HemerocalliSiDay Lily ; three species, H.fiilva, H. gra- 

 minea, and H. Sieboldii, flower well, and are remarkable 

 among the border flowers for their large yellow or copper- 

 coloured corollas, some of them about six inches in dia- 

 meter ; bloom from May to July, and will grow in almost 

 any soil. There is a plant known in our gardens as H. 

 cceriilea, which is Funkia coerulea, and has a campanulate 

 corolla, with a cylindrical tube ; flowers in spikes; leaves- 

 ovate, acuminate. 



Hibiscus. There are several herbaceous species very- 

 showy and handsome, H. palustris ; H. roseus ; H. mill' 

 taris ; H. spedosus ; H. grandiflorus ; and H. pungens. 

 They grow best in moist situations, and where these are 

 not to be had, give them plenty of water, and plant in sandy 

 soil enriched with decayed leaves. The flowers are about 

 six inches in diameter, flowering up the stem, either soli- 

 tary or in small bunches. H. spedosus is the most splen- 

 did, and deserves a situation in every garden. The roots 

 in winter ought to be covered by litter, tan, or saw-dust ; 

 but a better method is to lift them, and put them in the cel- 

 lar, covered with dry earth, and kept from the frost. All 

 the above-mentioned species are improved by being pro- 

 tected during winter. 



Iris, Flower-de-lis, has many fine species of various 

 shades and colours, /. siibiflora, /. nepalensis, I. Palldsii, 

 I. pdllida, 7. cristata, /. arenaria, I. furcata, I. germd- 

 nica, I.floreniina, 1. verna, and /. susidna. The last is 

 the finest of the herbaceous species ; the flowers are very 

 large and curiously spotted with brown ; it stands the 

 severest of our winters unprotected. The roots of /. flo- 

 4* 



