332 PROPAGATION OF PLANTS. 



Plumbagtnacece (Leadwort Family). These are mostly low-grow- 

 ing marine herbs, somewhat remarkable for their regular flowers ; all the 

 different parts or organs in fives five lobes to the calyx, five petals to 

 flowers, and the same number of stamens and pistils. The most familiar 

 genera in gardens are Armeria (Sea Pink and Thrift), Statice (Sea Laven- 

 der) and Plumbago (Leadwort). They are plants requiring only moder- 

 ate care and are easily propagated by seed, or by dividing the clumps or 

 roots. 



Portulacacece (Purslane Family). Succulent annual and perennial 

 herbs. The common garden Pusley or Purslane (P. oleracea), and the 

 Great-flowered Portulaca (P. grandiflora), are well-known annual repre- 

 sentatives of this family. There are very few species of the other four- 

 teen genera in cultivation, except the two species of Claytonia ( C. Vir- 

 ginica and C. Carolina), and these are not very common in gardens, 

 although well deserving of a shady nook, even in grounds of limited 

 extent. All readily propagated by s^eds. 



Primulacece (Primrose Family). An order of about twenty genera 

 and 150 species of low-growing herbs of no economic value, but a few of 

 the genera, such as Androsace, Cyclamen, DodecaiJieon and Primula, are 

 highly-prized ornamental plants. The Androsaces are all Alpine plants, 

 and thrive only in open, airy situation, among rocks and stones, and in 

 positions where they will not suffer for moisture. Of the Cyclamens, 

 there are numerous species, but the varieties in general cultivation as 

 greenhouse plants are offsprings of C. Pcrsicum. These have thick fleshy 

 root-stocks or corms, which are largely imported for forcing under glass. 

 They are usually propagated by seeds sown as soon as ripe, in shallow 

 boxes or seed-pans, and in frames or in an ordinary greenhouse. Dode- 

 catheon, or American Cowslip, ie a genus of only one species, but there 

 are a large number of natural local varieties, widely distributed from 

 our Middle States to California, and northward to Washington Territory. 

 They thrive best in moist or wet soils, and half shady positions. They 

 are handsome plants for forcing in a cool greenhouse, and readily propa- 

 gated by seeds, or by dividing the crowns. The genus Primula contains 

 many species, chiefly native of the cold regions of Europe and Asia, but 

 the most popular varieties for greenhouse culture belong to a Chinese 

 species (P. Sinensis). They are plants requiring simple culture, and are 

 propagated by seeds, cuttings of the roots, and by dividing the old 

 plants as soon as they have ceased blooming. 



Ranunculacece (Crowfoot Family). An immense order, and one 

 largely represented in cultivated plants. Mostly herbaceous or some- 

 what shrubby, with acrid, caustic, and in some genera, very poison- 

 ous juice. The Anemone (Wind-Flower), Actcea (Banebcrry), Aconitum 

 (Monkshood), Aquilegia (Columbine), Clematis (Virgin's Bower), Del- 

 phinium (Larkspur), Hellcborus (Christmas Rose), Hcpatica (Liverleaf), 

 Pceonia (Poeony) and Ranunculus (Buttercup), are some of the best known 

 genera. The indigenous, and many of the exotic species are hardy 



