March."] PERENNIALS. 47 



from May to August. They will grow in any soil, but 

 will not flourish where they are much shaded. V. offi- 

 cindlis has been used in Germany and Sweden as a sub- 

 stitute for tea. Some prefer V. chamsedrys for the same 

 purpose. 



Valerianas. Several species are showy border plants, 

 with small flowers in large close flattened panicles. V. 

 dioica is remarkable for having the stamens and pistils in 

 separate flowers, situated on different plants ; the flowers 

 are of a blush colour. V. phit, a large growing species 

 with white flowers, and V. rubra, with its varieties which 

 bloom all the season, are the finest of the genus. They 

 are now given to Centranthus. They are all of easy cul- 

 ture in common garden earth, but preferring moist shady 

 situations. In flower from May to September. 



Viola, a genus consisting of upwards of eighty species, 

 of low pretty plants, of great diversity of colour and foliage. 

 Many of them are natives, and well worth a situation in our 

 gardens. They mostly delight in sandy loam, and a little 

 shade. A few of the species grown in moist situations. 

 The most esteemed varieties for fragrance are, V. odorata 

 purpurea plena, double purple, V. odorata alba plena, 

 double white, and the double Neapolitan. They flower 

 very early, and make good edgings where they are kept in 

 order ; flowering profusely from April to June, and again 

 in autumn. 



Yucca, Adam's needle. This is a very showy and orna- 

 mental genus; their character forming a picturesque con- 

 trast in the flower garden; foliage long, narrow, lanceo- 

 late and stiff; with white campanulate flowers, about two 

 inches in diameter, in conical spikes from two to four feet 

 long, arising from the centre of the plant, containing fre- 

 quently from two to four hundred florets. They are prin- 

 cipally native plants. Y. stricta; Y. supdrba; Y. aloi- 

 folia ; Y. angustifolia, Y, gloriosa, Y. recurvifolia, and 

 Y. filamentosa, are all fine species, and will grow in any 

 common soil. When in flower, if protected from the sun 

 by an awning, they will be of considerable duration. 

 There are variegated varieties of stricta and aloifolia, which 

 look very handsome in foliage, but are at present very rare, 

 and it will be a number of years before they are plentiful. 



